Thesis
Expression and function of the small heat shock protein Hsp27 during embryogenesis of zebrafish Danio rerio
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2007
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/101669
Abstract
The expression of the small heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) is increased in response to diverse stress conditions. During early embryogenesis of mammals, including humans, Hsp27 is also constitutively expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscles. Results of previous in vitro studies conducted using cultured mammalian myoblasts have suggested that Hsp27 plays a role in regulating cell differentiation or preventing apoptotic cell death during myogenesis. However, in vivo studies testing this conclusion have not been conducted. Recently, we identified a homolog of Hsp27 in zebrafish, Danio rerio, and characterized the expression of Hsp27 in skeletal and cardiac muscles in zebrafish embryos. Here, we examined the role of Hsp27 in embryogenesis using specific morpholino oligonucleotides to knockdown expression of Hsp27 in the whole zebrafish embryo. Surprisingly, development of zebrafish embryos lacking Hsp27 was normal in the absence of stress. However, Hsp27 knockdown embryos showed decreased motility and heart rate beatings compared to control embryos after sublethal heat shock. Analysis of skeletal muscle birefringence in living embryos before and immediately after heat shock revealed that the Hsp27 knockdown is correlated with short term loss of muscle integrity after injury. Defects in skeletal muscle tissues were also persistent in Hsp27 knockdown embryos 18 hours after injury. Finally, knockdown of Hsp27 resulted in dramatic disruption of motor neuron networks in heat stressed, but not control embryos. These findings demonstrate that Hsp27 is required for injury resistance of muscle tissues and nerves, but not morphogenesis, in zebrafish embryos.
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Details
- Title
- Expression and function of the small heat shock protein Hsp27 during embryogenesis of zebrafish Danio rerio
- Creators
- Alexey Ustyugov
- Contributors
- Eric A. Shelden (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Molecular Biosciences, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525380301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis