Specific developmental defects of Dnmt2 morphants. (A) Gross morphology of Dnmt2 morphants at 80 hpf, displaying pericardial edema, a primitive yolk, a thin trunk, and deformed eyes, brain, somites, and tail. Bar, 0.5 mm. (B–D) Dnmt2 morphants display tissue-specific differentiation defects. Whole-mount in situ of embryos at 80 hpf. Rows display expression of mRNA encoding l-fabp or transferrin-α (A), gata6 or foxa3 (B), and i-fabp or insulin (C). Columns display control morphants, Dnmt2 morphants, or Dnmt2 morphants coinjected with mRNA encoding Dnmt2WT or Dnmt2C82S. Dnmt2 morphants lose the expression of terminal differentiation marker of liver l-fabp and transferrin-α, whereas they retain expression of markers of liver precursors (gata6 and foxa3) and markers of terminal differentiation of intestine (i-fabp) and endocrine pancreas (insulin). Arrows denote the cells expressing the respective marker.