A gene trap transposon eliminates haematopoietic expression of zebrafish Gfi1aa, but does not interfere with haematopoiesis

Thambyrajah, Roshana Sutharshini; Ucanok, Deniz; Jalali, Maryam; Hough, Yasmin; Wilkinson, Robert Neil; McMahon, Kathryn; Moore, Chris; Gering, Martin

Abstract

A transposon-mediated gene trap screen identified the zebrafish line qmc551 that expresses a GFP reporter in primitive erythrocytes and also in haemogenic endothelial cells, which give rise to haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) that seed sites of larval and adult haematopoiesis. The transposon that mediates this GFP expression is located in intron 1 of the gfi1aa gene, one of three zebrafish paralogs that encode transcriptional repressors homologous to mammalian Gfi1 and Gfi1b proteins. In qmc551 transgenics, GFP expression is under the control of the endogenous gfi1aa promoter, recapitulates early gfi1aa expression and allows live observation of gfi1aa promoter activity. While the transposon integration interferes with the expression of gfi1aa mRNA in haematopoietic cells, homozygous qmc551 fish are viable and fertile, and display normal primitive and definitive haematopoiesis. Retained expression of Gfi1b in primitive erythrocytes and upregulation of Gfi1ab at the onset of definitive haematopoiesis in homozygous qmc551 carriers, are sufficient to allow normal haematopoiesis. This finding contradicts previously published morpholino data that suggested an essential role for zebrafish Gfi1aa in primitive erythropoiesis

Citation

Thambyrajah, R. S., Ucanok, D., Jalali, M., Hough, Y., Wilkinson, R. N., McMahon, K., …Gering, M. (2016). A gene trap transposon eliminates haematopoietic expression of zebrafish Gfi1aa, but does not interfere with haematopoiesis. Developmental Biology, 417(1), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.07.010

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 15, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jul 16, 2016
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jul 20, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 10, 2018
• Journal: Developmental Biology
• Print ISSN: 0012-1606
• Electronic ISSN: 0012-1606
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 417
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 25-39
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.07.010
• Keywords: Haematopoiesis, Haemogenic endothelium, endothelial to haematopoietic transition, zebrafish, gene trap, gfi1
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/800687
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012160616301609
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: A gene trap transposon eliminates haematopoietic expression of zebrafish Gfi1aa, but does not interfere with haematopoiesis; Journal Title: Developmental Biology; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.07.010; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.