Rnf2 deficiency disorganized sarcomere assembly in zebrafish hearts. (A) Real-time PCR tested the expression of skeletal and smooth muscle genes at 36 hpf (left) and 48 hpf (right). The fold changes of relative mRNA levels are presented as mean ± SEM. The expression in wild-types was normalized to 1. The experiment was repeated on three separate occasions. n = 159, 111, and 161 for rnf2−/− group at 24 hpf, 36 hpf, and 48 hpf, respectively; n = 145, 113, and 164 for WT group at 24 hpf, 36 hpf, and 48 hpf, respectively. (B) Cardiac TEM revealed the sarcomere of cardiac muscle was abnormal in rnf2−/− hearts. A, A-band; I, I-band; H, H-zone; Z, Z-disc. Scale bar: 1.0 μm. n = 3. (C) Bar graph showing the width of A-band, I-band, Z-disc, and H-zone in wild-type and rnf2−/− cardiac sarcomeres. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001; NS, no significant.
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