Abstract.
We report the determination of zebrafish DNA (cytosine-5-) methyltransferase (dnmt-1) temporal and spatial patterns of expression in gonadal tissues and during early development. Only one dnmt-1 message of around 5 kb was observed in all tissues examined and its levels were highest in gonadal tissues. During the course of oogenesis, early oocytes contain significant amounts of dnmt-1 transcript while message abundance declines as oocytes mature. During early embryogenesis message levels remain low until the blastula stage. Methyltransferase enzyme assays reveal that the maternal dnmt-1 message accumulated during oogenesis is translated into protein presumably providing necessary dnmt-1 stockpiles to support early embryonic development prior to zygotic gene activation. Such spatial and temporal regulation of dnmt-1 expression suggests specific functions for the enzyme during oogenesis and early development of zebrafish.
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Mhanni, A.A., McGowan, R.A. Variations in DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase-1 expression during oogenesis and early development of the zebrafish. Dev Genes Evol 212, 530–533 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-002-0275-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-002-0275-7