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Multiple regulatory elements mediating neuronal‐specific expression of zebrafish sodium channel gene, Scn8aa
Author(s) -
Wu SiHuei,
Chen YauHung,
Huang FongLee,
Chang ChuanHsiung,
Chang YiFeng,
Tsay HueyJen
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.21680
Subject(s) - zebrafish , biology , green fluorescent protein , ectopic expression , microbiology and biotechnology , embryonic stem cell , gene expression , reporter gene , regulation of gene expression , gene , genetics
Zebrafish scn8aa sodium channels mediate the majority of sodium conductance, which is essential for the embryonic locomotor activities. Here, we investigated the transcriptional regulation of scn8aa in developing zebrafish embryos by constructing a GFP reporter driven by a 15‐kb fragment of scn8aa gene designed as scn8aa:GFP . GFP expression patterns of scn8aa:GFP temporally and spatially recapitulated the expression of endogenous scn8aa mRNA during zebrafish embryonic development, with one exception in the inner nuclear layer of the retina. Three novel elements, along with an evolutionarily conserved element shared with mouse SCN8A , modulated neuronal‐specific expression of scn8aa . The deletion of each positive element reduced the expression levels in neurons without inducing ectopic GFP expression in non‐neuronal cells. Our results demonstrate that these four regulatory elements function cooperatively to enhance scn8aa expression in the zebrafish nervous system. Developmental Dynamics 237:2554–2565, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.