Morpholino-mediated knockdown of ERα, ERβa, and ERβb mRNAs in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos reveals differential regulation of estrogen-inducible genes.

ABSTRACT: Genetically distinct estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes (ERα and ERβ) play a major role in mediating estrogen actions in vertebrates, but their unique and overlapping functions are not entirely clear. Although mammals have 1 gene of each subtype (ESR1 and ESR2), teleost fish have a single esr1 (ERα) and 2 esr2 (ERβa and ERβb) genes. To determine the in vivo role of different ER isoforms in regulating estrogen-inducible transcription targets, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were microinjected with esr-specific morpholino (MO) oligonucleotides to disrupt splicing of the exon III/intron III junction in the DNA-binding domain. Each MO knocked down its respective normal transcript and increased production of variants with a retained intron III (esr1 MO) or a deleted or mis-spliced exon III (esr2a

SUBMITTER: Griffin LB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3800766 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature