Znf76 is associated with development of the eyes, midbrain, MHB, and hindbrain in zebrafish embryos

Human Endogenous Retroviruses as Gene Expression Regulators: Insights from Animal Models into Human Diseases

The human genome contains many retroviral elements called human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), resulting from the integration of retroviruses throughout evolution. HERVs once were considered inactive junk because they are not replication-competent, primarily localized in the heterochromatin, and silenced by methylation. But HERVs are now clearly shown to actively regulate gene expression in various physiological and pathological conditions such as developmental processes, immune regulation, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. Recent studies report that HERVs are activated in patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection. In this review, we describe internal and external factors that influence HERV activities. We also present evidence showing the gene regulatory activity of HERV LTRs (long terminal repeats) in model organisms such as mice, rats, zebrafish, and invertebrate models of worms and flies. Finally, we discuss several molecular and cellular pathways involving various transcription factors and receptors, through which HERVs affect downstream cellular and physiological events such as epigenetic modifications, calcium influx, protein phosphorylation, and cytokine release. Understanding how HERVs participate in various physiological and pathological processes will help develop a strategy to generate effective therapeutic approaches targeting HERVs.

Trim46 contributes to the midbrain development via Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway in zebrafish embryos

TRIM46 is a RING finger E3 ligase which belongs to TRIM (tripartite motif-containing) protein family. TRIM46 is required for neuronal polarity and axon specification by driving the formation of parallel microtubule arrays, whereas its embryological functions remain to be determined yet. Expression patterns and biological functions of trim46a, a zebrafish homologue of TRIM46, were studied in zebrafish embryo. First, maternal transcripts of trim46a were present at 1 cell stage whereas zygotic messages were abundant in the eyes, MHB (Midbrain-Hindbrain Boundary) and hindbrain at 24 hpf (hours post fertilization). Second, transcriptional regulatory region of trim46a contains cis-acting elements binding a transcriptional factor Foxa2. Transcription of foxa2 is positively regulated by Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), and treatment of cyclopamine, an SHH inhibitor, represses transcription of foxa2 in 4 hpf through 24 hpf embryos. Third, the transcriptional repression of foxa2 inhibited transcription of trim46a to cause developmental defects in the midbrain and MHB. Finally, spatiotemporal expression patterns of a midbrain marker otx2b in the developmental defects confirmed inhibition of SHH by cyclopamine caused underdevelopment of the midbrain and MHB at 24 hpf. We propose a signaling network where trim46a contributes to development of the midbrain and MHB via Foxa2, a downstream element of SHH signaling in zebrafish embryogenesis.

Trim45 is essential to the development of the diencephalon and eye in zebrafish embryos

Trim45 is one of the RING (really interesting new gene) finger containing E3 ligase, which belongs to TRIM (Tripartite motif) protein family. Its molecular biological functions have been well characterized but not in light of developmental aspects. Here, we are reporting its expression patterns and developmental functions in zebrafish embryos. First, maternal transcripts of trim45 were found at one cell stage while its zygotic messages appeared at 30% epiboly. trim45 transcripts were restricted to the optical tectum, hypothalamus, hindbrain, and pharyngeal endoderm at 24 hpf (hour post-fertilization), and further to the retinal ganglion cell layer and cranial ganglion at 36 hpf. Second, ectopic expression of trim45 by injecting its mRNAs into embryos at one cell stage caused significant expansion of the diencephalon and eye fields at 24 hpf. In contrast, knock-down of trim45 with anti-sense trim45 morpholinos reduced the size of the two tissues at 24 hpf. Finally, the spatial distribution of the transcripts from olig2 and rx1/rx3, markers for the midbrain and eye respectively, were significantly decreased in the thalamus and eye fields respectively at 24 hpf. Based upon these observations, we proposed possible roles of Trim45 in the development of the diencephalon and eye in zebrafish embryos.

march5 Governs the Convergence and Extension Movement for Organization of the Telencephalon and Diencephalon in Zebrafish Embryos

MARCH5 is a RING finger E3 ligase involved in mitochondrial integrity, cellular protein homeostasis, and the regulation of mitochondrial fusion and fission. To determine the function of MARCH5 during development, we assessed transcript expression in zebrafish embryos. We found that march5 transcripts were of maternal origin and evenly distributed at the 1-cell stage, except for the mid-blastula transition, with expression predominantly in the developing central nervous system at later stages of embryogenesis. Overexpression of march5 impaired convergent extension movement during gastrulation, resulting in reduced patterning along the dorsoventral axis and alterations in the ventral cell types. Overexpression and knockdown of march5 disrupted the organization of the developing telencephalon and diencephalon. Lastly, we found that the transcription of march5 was tightly regulated by the transcriptional regulators CHOP, C/EBPα, Staf, Znf143a, and Znf76. These results demonstrate the essential role of March5 in the development of zebrafish embryos.