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The ZIC gene family encodes multi-functional proteins essential for patterning and morphogenesis

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Abstract

The zinc finger of the cerebellum gene (ZIC) discovered in Drosophila melanogaster (odd-paired) has five homologs in Xenopus, chicken, mice, and humans, and seven in zebrafish. This pattern of gene copy expansion is accompanied by a divergence in gene and protein structure, suggesting that Zic family members share some, but not all, functions. ZIC genes are implicated in neuroectodermal development and neural crest cell induction. All share conserved regions encoding zinc finger domains, however their heterogeneity and specification remain unexplained. In this review, the evolution, structure, and expression patterns of the ZIC homologs are described; specific functions attributable to individual family members are supported. A review of data from functional studies in Xenopus and murine models suggest that ZIC genes encode multifunctional proteins operating in a context-specific manner to drive critical events during embryogenesis. The identification of ZIC mutations in congenital syndromes highlights the relevance of these genes in human development.

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Acknowledgments

Prof. Sabine Tejpar is senior investigator of the fund for Scientific Research-Flanders, Belgium (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek-Vlaanderen). Rob Houtmeyers is supported by a PhD grant from the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation through Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT-Vlaanderen).

The templates in Fig. 6 were rendered from the EMAGE gene expression database (http://www.emouseatlas.org/emage/); EMA:17 (TS11) and EMA:36 (TS15) [99].

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  1. Department of Oncology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, O&N1, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Rob Houtmeyers & Sabine Tejpar

  2. Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia

    Ruth Arkell

  3. Laboratoire de Génétique du Développement, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet 12, 6041, Gosselies, Belgium

    Jacob Souopgui

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  1. Rob Houtmeyers
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Correspondence to Rob Houtmeyers.

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Houtmeyers, R., Souopgui, J., Tejpar, S. et al. The ZIC gene family encodes multi-functional proteins essential for patterning and morphogenesis. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 70, 3791–3811 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-013-1285-5

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