PUBLICATION
A gain-of-function screen in zebrafish identifies a guanylate cyclase with a role in neuronal degeneration
- Authors
- Maddison, L.A., Lu, J., Victoroff, T., Scott, E., Baier, H., and Chen, W.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-090227-3
- Date
- 2009
- Source
- Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG 281(5): 551-563 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Baier, Herwig, Chen, Wenbiao, Scott, Ethan
- Keywords
- Insertional mutagenesis, Forward genetic screen, Gal4-VP16, Guanylate cyclase
- MeSH Terms
-
- Guanylate Cyclase/genetics*
- Moloney murine leukemia virus/genetics
- Animals
- Genetic Vectors
- Animals, Genetically Modified
- Mutagenesis, Insertional
- Models, Neurological
- Female
- Zebrafish/embryology
- Zebrafish/genetics*
- Zebrafish/physiology*
- Cyclic GMP/metabolism
- Nerve Degeneration/enzymology*
- Nerve Degeneration/genetics*
- Transcriptional Activation
- Hybridization, Genetic
- Male
- PubMed
- 19221799 Full text @ Mol. Genet. Genomics
Citation
Maddison, L.A., Lu, J., Victoroff, T., Scott, E., Baier, H., and Chen, W. (2009) A gain-of-function screen in zebrafish identifies a guanylate cyclase with a role in neuronal degeneration. Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG. 281(5):551-563.
Abstract
Manipulation of gene expression is one of the most informative ways to study gene function. Genetic screens have been an informative method to identify genes involved in developmental processes. In the zebrafish, loss-of-function screens have been the primary approach for these studies. We sought to complement loss-of-function screens using an unbiased approach to overexpress genes with a Gal4-UAS based system, similar to the gain-of-function screens in Drosophila. Using MMLV as a mutagenic vector, a cassette containing a UAS promoter was readily inserted in the genome, often at the 5' end of genes, allowing Gal4-dependent overexpression. We confirmed that genes downstream of the viral insertions were overexpressed in a Gal4-VP16 dependent manner. We further demonstrate that misexpression of one such downstream gene gucy2F, a membrane-bound guanylate cyclase, throughout the nervous system results in multiple defects including a loss of forebrain neurons. This suggests proper control of cGMP production is important in neuronal survival. From this study, we propose that this gain-of-function approach can be applied to large-scale genetic screens in a vertebrate model organism and may reveal previously unknown gene function.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping