Abstract
An understanding of the molecular bases of the morphogenesis, organization, and functioning of hair cells requires that the genes expressed in these cells be identified and their functions ascertained. After purifying zebrafish hair cells and detecting mRNAs with oligonucleotide microarrays, we developed a subtractive strategy that identified 1,037 hair cell-expressed genes whose cognate proteins subserve functions including membrane transport, synaptic transmission, transcriptional control, cellular adhesion and signal transduction, and cytoskeletal organization. To assess the validity of the subtracted hair-cell data set, we verified the presence of 11 transcripts in inner-ear tissue. Functional evaluation of two genes from the subtracted data set revealed their importance in hair bundles: zebrafish larvae bearing the seahorse and ift 172 mutations display specific kinociliary defects. Moreover, a search for candidate genes that underlie heritable deafness identified a human ortholog of a zebrafish hair-cell gene whose map location is bracketed by the markers of a deafness locus.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
