The zebrafish thyroid hormone receptor alpha 1 is expressed during early embryogenesis and can function in transcriptional repression

Differentiation. 1997 Dec;62(3):107-17. doi: 10.1046/j.1432-0436.1997.6230107.x.

Abstract

Nuclear receptors are a large family of ligand dependent transcription factors which participate in many diverse processes during development. In this report, we describe the cloning of the zebrafish thyroid hormone receptor alpha 1 (TR alpha 1) gene, the cellular counterpart of the viral oncogene v-erbA. TR alpha 1 is expressed during oogenesis and maternally supplied to the embryo. TR alpha 1 is expressed again after the mid blastula transition. By examining the effects of increased expression of TR alpha 1 on expression of a reporter gene which responds to both TR alpha 1 and retinoic acid receptors (RARs), we show that the zebrafish TR alpha 1 can act as a repressor during early zebrafish development before thyroid hormone is present in the embryo. In addition, our data suggest that TR alpha 1 can repress retinoic acid (RA)-signaling during early development. We propose that TR alpha 1 functions during early development as a transcriptional repressor, similar to the constitutive repressor activity of its viral counterpart v-erbA, which regulates anterior-posterior (A/P) patterning by repressing RA-signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Blastocyst / metabolism
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / metabolism*
  • Gastrula / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oogenesis / physiology
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid / metabolism
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / genetics*
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / physiology
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*
  • Repressor Proteins / physiology
  • Ribonucleases / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Tretinoin / metabolism
  • Zebrafish / embryology*
  • Zebrafish / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Tretinoin
  • Ribonucleases

Associated data

  • GENBANK/U54796