The embryonic expression patterns and the knockdown phenotypes of zebrafish ADP‐ribosylation factor‐like 6 interacting protein gene

Abstract

ADP-ribosylation factor-like 6 (Arl6) mutation is linked to human disease and Arl6 interacts with Arl6 interacting protein (Arl6ip). However, the expression pattern and function of Arl6ip during embryogenesis are unknown. To confirm whether abnormal Arl6ip function might result in embryonic defects in zebrafish, we examined the expression patterns of arl6ip during embryogenesis, and they were maternally expressed and exhibited in the brain, optic primordia, hypochord, spinal cord, myotome, heart, fin-bud, kidney, trunk, and retina. Knockdown of Arl6ip revealed the following phenotypic defects: microphthalmia, disorganized pigment pattern, flat head, defective tectum, deficient pectoral fins, abnormal pneumatic duct, pericardial edema, and deformed trunk. Particularly, histological dissection of the retinae of arl6ip-morphants revealed that neuronal differentiation is severely delayed, resulting in no formation of retinal layers. We further confirmed that opsins of arl6ip-morphants were not transcribed. Based on this evidence, Arl6ip may play important roles in zebrafish ocular, heart, and fin-bud development. Developmental Dynamics 238: 232-240, 2009.

Ras-Related Nuclear Protein is required for late developmental stages of retinal cells in zebrafish eyes

“…Indeed, not only the expression patterns of Ran and Arl6ip1 are highly similar, but the deficiency phenotypes of both are very similar, especially in the eye. Specifically, microphthalmia and defective formation of retinal layers were observed in embryos with Arl6ip1 deficiency (Huang et al, 2009). These results strongly suggest that Ran interacts with Arl6ip and that these binding partners play a role in eye development of zebrafish.…”

“…Since Arl6ip1 deficiency and Ran deficiency are highly similar in the retinal phenotypes (Huang et al, 2009) (Fig. 6A, lane 3).…”

“…In this study, we identified Arl6ip1 as a binding partner of Ran and found that the binding between Arl6ip1 and Ran was most likely direct. Huang et al (2009) demonstrated that Arl6ip is involved in ocular development. Arl6ip1 deficiency results in numerous developmental defects including microphthalmos.…”

“…In our previous study, we identified that ADP-ribosylation factorlike protein 6-interacting protein 1 (Arl6ip1, previously named Arl6ip) is required for the formation of retinal layers (Huang et al, 2009). Since Arl6ip1 deficiency and Ran deficiency are highly similar in the retinal phenotypes (Huang et al, 2009) (Fig.…”

“…In this study, we used zebrafish as an animal model in developmental biology to study the roles of Ran in eye development. We first utilized whole- (Huang et al, 2009), concluding that Ran associates with Arl6ip1 to play a role in the development of zebrafish retina.…”