Characterisation of duplicate zinc finger like 2 erythroid precursor genes in zebrafish

Benjamin M Hogan, Luke Pase, Nathan E Hall, Graham J Lieschke

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3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In separate expression pattern and micro-array screens the zinc finger containing factor, znfl2, has been previously implicated in hematopoiesis. Here we analysed znfl2 expression in detail and performed genetic epistatic analysis in a series of hematopoietic mutants and transient gain-of-function models. znfl2 expression in the hematopoietic intermediate mesoderm and derived erythrocytes required early genes cloche and spadetail, but not gata1. Expression was up-regulated in scl gain-of-function embryos, identifying znfl2 as an early erythroid factor that is regulated upstream or independently of gata1. Furthermore, we identified a duplicate znfl2 gene in the genome (znfl2b) which was expressed in early mesendoderm and weakly in the lateral plate mesoderm, overlapping in expression with znfl2. The production of loss-of-function models for znfl2, znfl2b and znfl2/znfl2b together suggested that these erythrocyte specific zinc finger genes are dispensible for erythropoiesis.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)523 - 529
Number of pages7
JournalDevelopment Genes and Evolution
Volume216
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes

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