biostudies-literatureYoshikawa FTokyo University of ScienceHamaguchi Foundation for the Advancement of BiochemistryJapan Society for the Promotion of ScienceExchange Program between Tokyo University of Science and the University of Strasbourge0166732https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5113975biostudies-literatureUnknown11(11)Opalin, a central nervous system-specific myelin protein phylogenetically unique to mammals, has been suggested to play a role in mammalian-specific myelin. To elucidate the role of Opalin in mammalian myelin, we disrupted the Opalin gene in mice and analyzed the impacts on myelination and behavior. Opalin-knockout (Opalin-/-) mice were born at a Mendelian ratio and had a normal body shape and weight. Interestingly, Opalin-/- mice had no obvious abnormalities in major myelin protein compositions, expression of oligodendrocyte lineage markers, or domain organization of myelinated axons compared with WT mice (Opalin+/+) mice. Electron microscopic observation of the optic nerves did not reveal obvious differences between Opalin+/+ and Opalin-/- mice in terms of fine structures of paranodal loPloS oneMammalian-Specific Central Myelin Protein Opalin Is Redundant for Normal Myelination: Structural and Behavioral Assessments.PMC5113975Research GrantKAKENHI 20300134, 23300137, 26290026, 15K14356Yoshikawa FGhandour MSFuruse TSano YWakana SFuruichi TSato YSadakata TShinoda YTohyama KItohara STanaka MHashikawa TAkagi TfalseMammalian-Specific Central Myelin Protein Opalin Is Redundant for Normal Myelination: Structural and Behavioral Assessments.Opalin, a central nervous system-specific myelin protein phylogenetically unique to mammals, has been suggested to play a role in mammalian-specific myelin. To elucidate the role of Opalin in mammalian myelin, we disrupted the Opalin gene in mice and analyzed the impacts on myelination and behavior. Opalin-knockout (Opalin-/-) mice were born at a Mendelian ratio and had a normal body shape and weight. Interestingly, Opalin-/- mice had no obvious abnormalities in major myelin protein compositions, expression of oligodendrocyte lineage markers, or domain organization of myelinated axons compared with WT mice (Opalin+/+) mice. Electron microscopic observation of the optic nerves did not reveal obvious differences between Opalin+/+ and Opalin-/- mice in terms of fine structures of paranodal lo2016-01-01T00:00:00Z20162025-04-26T20:48:04.496Z2019-03-26T22:48:50ZS-EPMC51139752785520010.1371/journal.pone.0166732