Meeting Abstract
Cyr61 is a member of the CCN family of matricellular proteins, modulating a diverse set of functions in vertebrates with putative roles in development and human disease states. Recent studies have begun to examine CCN function in fish model systems such as the zebrafish (Danio rerio), which provides powerful genetic analysis and accessible visualization of embryonic structures. In this study we examine Cyr61 expression in medaka (Oryzias latipes), a similar fish model system with comparable genetic analysis and embryonic development. Cyr61 expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences obtained from the UCSC Genome Browser website were used to construct targeting primer sequences for Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). An RT-PCR product representing the medaka Cyr61 coding region was derived from total RNA and subcloned into a pDP19 expression plasmid, which was sequenced and analyzed for homology to other vertebrate species. Using RT-PCR and in vitro transcribed mRNA probes from the pDP19 vector, we then looked for differential expression patterns of the medaka Cyr61 gene in embryonic development and adult tissues. Together these studies reveal the utility of the medaka as a useful model system for examining Cyr61 function, while providing insights into the development of CCN proteins between different vertebrate species.
