PUBLICATION
The RNA-binding protein Igf2bp3 is critical for embryonic and germline development in zebrafish
- Authors
- Vong, Y.H., Sivashanmugam, L., Leech, R., Zaucker, A., Jones, A., Sampath, K.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-210703-41
- Date
- 2021
- Source
- PLoS Genetics 17: e1009667 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Sampath, Karuna
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- Embryonic Development/genetics
- Embryonic Development/physiology
- Ribonucleoproteins/metabolism
- Animals
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
- Germ Cells/metabolism*
- Zebrafish/embryology*
- Zebrafish/genetics
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
- RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
- PubMed
- 34214072 Full text @ PLoS Genet.
Citation
Vong, Y.H., Sivashanmugam, L., Leech, R., Zaucker, A., Jones, A., Sampath, K. (2021) The RNA-binding protein Igf2bp3 is critical for embryonic and germline development in zebrafish. PLoS Genetics. 17:e1009667.
Abstract
The ability to reproduce is essential in all branches of life. In metazoans, this process is initiated by formation of the germline, a group of cells that are destined to form the future gonads, the tissue that will produce the gametes. The molecular mechanisms underlying germline formation differs between species. In zebrafish, development of the germline is dependent on the specification, migration and proliferation of progenitors called the primordial germ cells (PGCs). PGC specification is dependent on a maternally provided cytoplasmic complex of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), the germplasm. Here, we show that the conserved RNA-binding protein (RBP), Igf2bp3, has an essential role during early embryonic development and germline development. Loss of Igf2bp3 leads to an expanded yolk syncytial layer (YSL) in early embryos, reduced germline RNA expression, and mis-regulated germline development. We show that loss of maternal Igf2bp3 function results in translational de-regulation of a Nodal reporter during the mid-blastula transition. Furthermore, maternal igf2bp3 mutants exhibit reduced expression of germplasm transcripts, defects in chemokine guidance, abnormal PGC behavior and germ cell death. Consistently, adult igf2bp3 mutants show a strong male bias. Our findings suggest that Igf2bp3 is essential for normal embryonic and germline development, and acts as a key regulator of sexual development.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping