Abstract
The vestigial Vg gene, initially characterized in Drosophila, encodes a transcription co-factor which is crucial for wings development. Vg binds via its Sd interaction domain (SID) to the Scalloped (Sd) transcription factor and its vertebrate homolog Tef1. Previous studies identified several vertebrate genes sharing high homology with Drosophila Vg SID such as Vgl (for Vg-like), TONDU (also known as Vgl1) or Vito-1 (also known as Vgl2). In order to investigate the role of vestigial-like 2 (vgll2) in zebrafish muscle development, we managed to clone and characterize two zebrafishVgll2 homolog genes, Vgll2a and Vgll2b. Alignment data showed high sequence homology of Vgll2a to vertebrates Vgll2 sequences. In situ hybridization showed that the two investigated Vgll2 genes had a similar expression pattern: they were first detected in adaxial cells (11 hpf), than expanded laterally in somites and at the end of segmentation, both genes were expressed in additional structures including head muscles and fin buds. In addition, different expression patterns of the two genes were observed. Vgll2a was expressed in bronchial arches precursor streams, derived gill muscles and hypothalamic precursors. Vgll2b was expressed in notochord at 14 hpf and regressed following notochord maturation at 18hpf. Furthermore, the genetic regulation of vgll2 genes was analysed using smu mutants and data revealed that both genes are regulated via the Hedgehog signaling pathway.
Highlights
IntroductionInvertebrates and vertebrates vestigial (vg) and vestigial-like (vgl) genes are involved in embryonic patterning and cell fate determination.In Drosophila, the nuclear protein Vestigial (Vg) is a cofactor of Scalloped (Sd) and plays a central role in the development and patterning of wings [1,2]
Invertebrates and vertebrates vestigial and vestigial-like genes are involved in embryonic patterning and cell fate determination.In Drosophila, the nuclear protein Vestigial (Vg) is a cofactor of Scalloped (Sd) and plays a central role in the development and patterning of wings [1,2]
Functional studies have revealed that Vgll2 and Vgll4 interact with Tef-1 through their Sd/Tef1 Interaction Domain (SID) domain and with Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (Mef2) [10,11,12]
Summary
Invertebrates and vertebrates vestigial (vg) and vestigial-like (vgl) genes are involved in embryonic patterning and cell fate determination.In Drosophila, the nuclear protein Vestigial (Vg) is a cofactor of Scalloped (Sd) and plays a central role in the development and patterning of wings [1,2]. The expression of Tef, the homologue of Sd, is not restricted to a specific tissue it controls the expression of several genes during development in skeletal muscle and placenta through binding to a M-CAT element in regulatory regions of these genes [5,6,7,8]. This has lead to the hypothesis that tissue-specificity of Tef control is due to interaction of Tef with tissue-specific cofactor(s). A recent report has described the expression of Vgll in the skeletal myogenic lineages of the chicken embryo under the control of myogenic factors [14]
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