Fig. 8

Identification of a novel enhancer specific for the inner nuclear layer of zebrafish retina.

A) Sequence alignment of the Pax6.2 genomic region with the Pax6.2 loci from multiple species reveals a region of clear sequence conservation upstream of the gene. A wide fragment of homology is found between zebrafish Pax6.2 and the acanthopterygian fish, with a smaller stretch of conservation to the elephant shark Pax6.2 locus. No conservation is seen with the frog and lizard loci. B) The zebrafish Pax6.2 CNE was cloned as a longer fragment covering the teleost conservation and as a shorter fragment centered on the elephant shark conserved sequence. Dual colour fluorescence transgenesis with both fragments produced a highly specific expression pattern in the retina at 48 hpf, and became restricted to the inner nuclear layer of the retina at 72 hpf and 5 dpf. NR, neuroretina, L, lens.