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Identification and characterization of primordial germ cells in a vocal learning Neoaves species, the zebra finch
Author(s) -
Jung Kyung Min,
Kim Young Min,
Keyte Anna L.,
Biegler Matthew T.,
Rengaraj Deivendran,
Lee Hong Jo,
Mello Claudio V.,
Velho Tarciso A. F.,
Fedrigo Olivier,
Haase Bettina,
Jarvis Erich D.,
Han Jae Yong
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.201900760rr
Subject(s) - zebra finch , biology , finch , embryo , identification (biology) , genetics , zoology , neuroscience , ecology
The zebra finch has been used as a valuable vocal learning animal model for human spoken language. It is representative of vocal learning songbirds specifically, which comprise half of all bird species, and of Neoaves broadly, which comprise 95% of all bird species. Although transgenesis in the zebra finch has been accomplished, it is with a very low efficiency of germ‐line transmission and far from the efficiency with a more genetically tractable but vocal nonlearning species, the chicken (a Galloanseriformes). To improve germ‐line transmission in the zebra finch, we identified and characterized its primordial germ cells (PGCs) and compared them with chicken. We found striking differences between the 2 species, including that zebra finch PGCs were more numerous, more widely distributed in early embryos before colonization into the gonads, had slower timing of colonization, and had a different developmental gene‐expression program. We improved conditions for isolating and culturing zebra finch PGCs in vitro and were able to transfect them with gene‐expression vectors and incorporate them into the gonads of host embryos. Our findings demonstrate important differences in the PGCs of the zebra finch and advance the first stage of creating PGC‐mediated germ‐line transgenics of a vocal learning species.—Jung, K. M., Kim, Y. M., Keyte, A. L., Biegler, M. T., Rengaraj, D., Lee, H. J., Mello, C. V., Velho, T. A. F., Fedrigo, O., Haase, B., Jarvis, E. D., Han, J. Y. Identification and characterization of primordial germ cells in a vocal learning Neoaves species, the zebra finch. FASEB J. 33, 13825‐13836 (2019). www.fasebj.org