Extensive expansion and diversification of the chemokine gene family in zebrafish: identification of a novel chemokine subfamily CX.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The chemokine family plays important roles in cell migration and activation. In humans, at least 44 members are known. Based on the arrangement of the four conserved cysteine residues, chemokines are now classified into four subfamilies, CXC, CC, XC and CX3C. Given that zebrafish is an important experimental model and teleost fishes constitute an evolutionarily diverse group that forms half the vertebrate species, it would be useful to compare the zebrafish chemokine system with those of mammals. Prior to this study, however, only incomplete lists of the zebrafish chemokine genes were reported.

Results

We systematically searched chemokine genes in the zebrafish genome and EST databases, and identified more than 100 chemokine genes. These genes were CXC, CC and XC

SUBMITTER: Nomiyama H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2416438 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature