Hox gene expression in early zebrafish embryo

• Main Author: Stephanie
• Other Authors: Mark Stephen Featherstone
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Zoology::Embryology; DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Zoology::Vertebrates; DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Genetics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/64732
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Embryogenesis is a tightly controlled process which involves a plethora of transcription factors to ensure proper development. One group of genes involved in embryogenesis is Hox genes which encode for transcription factors and help in anterior-posterior patterning at post-gastrulation time. However, there are also reports on Hox genes such as hoxd4a acting at pre-gastrulation or peri-gastrulation, implicating their roles in other processes such as haematopoiesis or neural patterning. This project aims to study the expression of a total of eight hox genes in early zebrafish embryo: seven hox genes by whole-mount in situ hybridisation (WISH) and eight hox genes by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results showed expression hoxb6b and hoxb7a at early times, whilst hoxb3a, hoxa4a and hoxb4a are poorly or not expressed at early times and the results for hoxd3a and hoxc4a are inconclusive. The qRT-PCR result for hoxd4a was also inconclusive. A repeat of WISH and qRT-PCR using different primers and probes as well as increased sample size will help to confirm these results. Nonetheless, the results are useful in building up knowledge about Hox genes expression at early times and setting up foundations for future works.