This laboratory has studied the molecular basis of embryogenesis in Xenopus laevis and the zebrafish, with special emphasis on axis determination and pattern formation. These events are thought to be controlled by cell-to-cell signaling and by the spatially and temporally regulated action of transcription factors. The Xlim-1 gene encodes a LIM-homeodomain protein that has been shown to be involved in the functions of the Spemann organizer in neural induction and mesoderm patterning. This gene is also important in kidney formation. The function of Xlim-1 is being studied by application of an oligonucleotide antisense strategy. Modified antisense oligonucleotides that are stable in the embryo have proven valuable tools for the analysis of Xlim-1 function during gastrulation. A screen for developmentally regulated genes is being conducted in zebrafish. By screening for genes with restricted expression patterns, valuable information is collected about gene control of embryogenesis. One gene isolated in this approach, named iro3, has been shown to have a role in organizer function in the gastrula. A zinc finger transcription factor isolated from zebrafish named biklf has been shown to constitute one of the earliest markers for blood formation and to be involved in erythroid cell differentiation. In addition, a genetic screen has been initiated that uses a chemical mutagen expected to generate deletions in the zebrafish genome. Such lesions are expected to be very useful in the genetic and functional characterization of zebrafish genes.

Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
19
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
U.S. National Inst/Child Hlth/Human Dev
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
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Country
United States
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Dawid, Igor B (2009) Differential gene expression in vertebrate embryos. J Biol Chem 284:13277-83
Zhao, Hui; Rebbert, Martha L; Dawid, Igor B (2007) Myoskeletin, a factor related to Myocardin, is expressed in somites and required for hypaxial muscle formation in Xenopus. Int J Dev Biol 51:315-20
Hanaoka, Ryuki; Katayama, Shiori; Dawid, Igor B et al. (2006) Characterization of the heme synthesis enzyme coproporphyrinogen oxidase (CPO) in zebrafish erythrogenesis. Genes Cells 11:293-303
Pugacheva, Elena M; Kwon, Yoo-Wook; Hukriede, Neil A et al. (2006) Cloning and characterization of zebrafish CTCF: Developmental expression patterns, regulation of the promoter region, and evolutionary aspects of gene organization. Gene 375:26-36
Dawid, Igor (2006) Igor Dawid. Curr Biol 16:R391-2
Azuma, Mizuki; Toyama, Reiko; Laver, Elizabeth et al. (2006) Perturbation of rRNA synthesis in the bap28 mutation leads to apoptosis mediated by p53 in the zebrafish central nervous system. J Biol Chem 281:13309-16
Sato, Akira; Khadka, Deepak K; Liu, Wei et al. (2006) Profilin is an effector for Daam1 in non-canonical Wnt signaling and is required for vertebrate gastrulation. Development 133:4219-31
Takahashi, Nobuhiro; Dawid, Igor B (2005) Characterization of zebrafish Rad52 and replication protein A for oligonucleotide-mediated mutagenesis. Nucleic Acids Res 33:e120
Kawahara, Atsuo; Che, Yong-Suk; Hanaoka, Ryuki et al. (2005) Zebrafish GADD45beta genes are involved in somite segmentation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102:361-6
Habas, Raymond; Dawid, Igor B (2005) Dishevelled and Wnt signaling: is the nucleus the final frontier? J Biol 4:2

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