PUBLICATION

Characterization and developmental expression pattern of the relaxin receptor rxfp1 gene in zebrafish

Authors
Donizetti, A., Fiengo, M., Del Gaudio, R., Di Giaimo, R., Minucci, S., and Aniello, F.
ID
ZDB-PUB-101222-32
Date
2010
Source
Development, growth & differentiation   52(9): 799-806 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Aniello, Francesco, Donizetti, Aldo, Fiengo, Marcella
Keywords
brain, development, GPCR receptor, relaxin 3, Rxfp1
MeSH Terms
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics*
  • Receptors, Peptide/genetics*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics*
PubMed
21158758 Full text @ Dev. Growth Diff.
Abstract
We report the gene characterization, the cDNA cloning and the temporal and spatial expression pattern of the relaxin receptor rxfp1 gene in the zebrafish Danio rerio. The zebrafish rxfp1 gene has the same syntenic genomic organization, and a similar exon-intron structure to the homologue human gene. Furthermore, the deduced Rxfp1 protein sequence shows a high degree of amino acid similarity when compared with the human protein and the conservation of all amino acid identity necessary for the binding with relaxin. Our results show that rxfp1 gene is active either during embryogenesis or in the adult organism, showing a wide expression pattern. Moreover, we provide the first description of rxfp1 spatial expression pattern during embryo development, showing that the transcript is already present at the early developmental stage and is distributed in all of the embryonic cells until somitogenesis. Starting at the pharyngula stage the gene expression becomes mainly restricted in the brain territories. In fact, at the larval stage, the transcript is detectable in the epiphysis, postoptic region, posterior tuberculum, hypothalamus, optic tectum, tegmentum/pons, medulla and also in the structure of a peripheral nervous system, the terminal nerve. The rxfp1 expression pattern in Danio rerio embryos is very similar to that reported in the adult mammalian brain, suggesting a pivotal role of this receptor in the neurophysiology processes already at very early developmental stages.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping