PUBLICATION

atoh8 expression pattern in early zebrafish embryonic development

Authors
Fragale, N., Divvela, S.S.K., Brand-Saberi, B.
ID
ZDB-PUB-210616-8
Date
2021
Source
Histochemistry and cell biology   156(3): 209-226 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Hindbrain, Myotome, Sclerotome, Somite, Zebrafish, atoh8
MeSH Terms
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Embryonic Development
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/analysis
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/biosynthesis*
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Animals
PubMed
34120256 Full text @ Histochem. Cell Biol.
Abstract
Atonal homologue 8 (atoh8) is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor expressed in a variety of embryonic tissues. While several studies have implicated atoh8 in various developmental pathways in other species, its role in zebrafish development remains uncertain. So far, no studies have dealt with an in-depth in situ analysis of the tissue distribution of atoh8 in embryonic zebrafish. We set out to pinpoint the exact location of atoh8 expression in a detailed spatio-temporal analysis in zebrafish during the first 24 h of development (hpf). To our surprise, we observed transcription from pre-segmentation stages in the paraxial mesoderm and during the segmentation stages in the somitic sclerotome and not-as previously reported-in the myotome. With progressing maturation of the somites, the restriction of atoh8 to the sclerotomal compartment became evident. Double in situ hybridisation with atoh8 and myoD revealed that both genes are expressed in the somites at coinciding developmental stages; however, their domains do not spatially overlap. A second domain of atoh8 expression emerged in the embryonic brain in the developing cerebellum and hindbrain. Here, we observed a specific expression pattern which was again in contrast to the previously published suggestion of atoh8 transcription in neural crest cells. Our findings point towards a possible role of atoh8 in sclerotome, cerebellum and hindbrain development. More importantly, the results of this expression analysis provide new insights into early sclerotome development in zebrafish-a field of research in developmental biology which has not received much attention so far.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping