A new member of the forkhead box protein family in zebrafish: Domain composition, phylogenetic implication and embryonic expression pattern

In this study, we reported a novel member of Forkhead box (Fox) proteins found in model zebrafish (Danio rerio). This new gene we cloned was primarily assigned as zgc:162612, which locates on Chromosome 3 at 26,108,033–26,109,322 in the zebrafish genome, but encodes an uncharacterized protein, LOC100037333. After we determined the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of zgc:162612, we found that zgc:162612 is an intronless gene and contains 1290 base pairs encoding 308 amino acid residues. Zgc:162612 protein is composed of a highly conserved DNA-binding domain similar to that of the Fox protein family, but with variable terminal domains. Based on phylogenetic analysis of all known members within the zebrafish Fox protein family, zgc:162612 was clustered into the zebrafish FoxD isoform subfamily. Thus, we confirmed zgc:162612 as the zebrafish FoxD7 gene. The deduced amino acid sequence of zebrafish FoxD7 shared 49, 49, 74, 63 and 74% identities with that of zebrafish FoxD1, FoxD2, FoxD3, FoxD4 and FoxD6, respectively. Compared with all known FoxD proteins in invertebrate and vertebrate species, the zebrafish FoxD7 is categorized in the same monophyletic group along with FoxD of cephalochordate and sea urchin. Whole-mount in situ hybridization demonstrated that zebrafish FoxD7 transcripts represented maternal inheritance and were ubiquitously expressed throughout the whole embryo at 12hpf. Moreover, while FoxD7 transcripts were expressed in the brain, fins and eyes a...

Source: Gene Expression Patterns - January 8, 2020 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research