Maternal and zygotic aldh1a2 activity is required for pancreas development in zebrafish.

ABSTRACT: We have isolated and characterized a novel zebrafish pancreas mutant. Mutant embryos lack expression of isl1 and sst in the endocrine pancreas, but retain isl1 expression in the CNS. Non-endocrine endodermal gene expression is less affected in the mutant, with varying degrees of residual expression observed for pdx1, carbA, hhex, prox1, sid4, transferrin and ifabp. In addition, mutant embryos display a swollen pericardium and lack fin buds. Genetic mapping revealed a mutation resulting in a glycine to arginine change in the catalytic domain of the aldh1a2 gene, which is required for the production of retinoic acid from vitamin A. Comparison of our mutant (aldh1a2(um22)) to neckless (aldh1a2(i26)), a previously identified aldh1a2 mutant, revealed similarities in residual endodermal gene exp

SUBMITTER: Alexa K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2788244 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature