Abstract
We have cloned and sequenced leptin from zebrafish (Danio rerio). The coding region consists of 594 bp (with a 20bp signal peptide), and the predicted amino acid sequence is ~20% identical to mammalian leptins, 12% to Fugu leptin, and 60% to carp leptins. Leptin message was amplified from brain, heart, ovary, and liver cDNAs. Zebrafish leptin appears to be expressed early in development, starting at 9–10 hours post fertilization (which is earlier than other ectotherms and mammals). We injected morpholino antisense oligonucleotides directed against the ATG start site of zebrafish leptin into 1–2 cell stage embryos and compared their development to controls. Leptin morphants expressed dramatically altered (and generally reduced) development of brain, eye, heart, otic vesicle, pectoral limb buds, caudal fin, and pigmentation. Leptin morphants showed little yolk absorption, even at 70 hpf, and had significantly lower heart rate. It is unlikely that the effects of leptin knock‐down are simply due to slow development, as these effects persisted even to 7 days post‐fertilization. These data indicate that leptin has pleiotropic effects in zebrafish, and that it is essential for normal development. Supported by a Univ. Akron Faculty Research Grant and Integrative Bioscience grants to RLL and NIH R15 Ey13879‐03 to QL and RLL.
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