ROLE OF POU DOMAIN GENES IN EARLY VERTEBRATE DEVELOPMENT

POU转录因子已被证明是 重要的是在调节细胞命运的决定， 发展我们专注于了解 一个POU结构域基因XlPOU 2在早期神经发育中的作用。我们 在非洲爪蟾中产生了功能的“敲除”， 由与POU融合的锚定阻遏物组成的构建体 XlPOU 2的结构域。这座建筑受到了 激素、地塞米松和从该构建体获得mRNA 在未来的大脑谱系中过度表达。 因此，时间和空间的表达， “显性-抑制性”POU构建体显示XlPOU 2是 是大脑特别是中脑正常形成所必需的 后脑边界区XlPOU 2诱导了一系列调节性的 基因在早期神经发生中发挥着关键作用，并且可能在 这个过程为了理解这一连串的事件， 遵循神经诱导，一种克隆基因的减法方案， 通过神经诱导因子noggin进行上调。 两个新的候选基因已被确定，并正在 其特征在于：这些基因之一是Kruppel样锌指基因， 另一个是同源异型盒基因。我们还克隆了 特征在于一个新的脑-1相关的POU基因在斑马鱼，太极。 太极是一个标志性的增殖，非分化细胞的 成年硬骨鱼神经系统小鼠太极拳的特征 它在神经干细胞中的作用将用原代 神经元的祖细胞培养和小鼠的基因消融。

POU transcription factors have been shown to be important in the regulation of cell fate decisions during development. We have focused on understanding the function of one POU domain gene, XlPOU 2, in early neural development. We generated a "knockout" of function in Xenopus, utilizing a construct consisting of the engrailed repressor fused to the POU domain of XlPOU 2. This construct was under the regulation of the hormone, dexamethasone, and mRNA obtained from this construct was overexpressed in the lineage that will become the future brain. Thus, both temporal and spatial expression of the "dominant-inhibitory" POU construct showed that XlPOU 2 is required for proper formation of the brain, specifically the mid-brain hindbrain boundary region. XlPOU 2 induces a host of regulatory genes in the early neurogenesis, and is likely to play a pivotal role in this process. In order to understand the cascade of events that follow neural induction, a subtraction scheme to clone genes that up-regulated by the neural induction factor noggin was undertaken. Two novel candidate genes have been identified and are being characterized: one of these genes is a Kruppel-like zinc finger gene, and the other a homeobox gene. We have also cloned and characterized a novel Brain-1-related POU gene in zebrafish, tai-ji. Taiji is a hallmark of proliferating, non- differentiated cells of the adult teleost nervous system. The characterization of mouse tai-ji and its role in neural stem cells will be examined using primary progenitor cultures of neurons and gene ablation in the mouse.