High impact information on otx1

• The exceptions include four insertions into a gene desert on chromosome 20 upstream of sox11b, and an insertion upstream of otx1 [1].
• Between 9 and 14 h of development, zOtx transcripts disappear from forebrain regions in a manner characteristic for each gene, and from 14 to 24 h, particular regions of the forebrain and midbrain express one or both genes [2].
• During embryogenesis of shiro-uo, otx1 and otx3 were expressed in the fore- and mid-brain throughout development in a manner similar to that observed in other vertebrates so far studied [3].
• Such unexpected unequal distribution of otx1 mRNA revealed that blastomeres at early cleavage stages already showed non-equivalence in the embryogenesis of shiro-uo [3].
• Domains of retinoid signalling and neurectodermal expression of zebrafish otx1 and goosecoid are mutually exclusive [4].

Biological context of otx1

• To investigate the relationships between the spatial distribution of retinoid signalling and the regulation of retinoid target genes, we studied the downregulation by retinoic acid of two genes expressed in anterior regions of the embryo, goosecoid and otx1 [4].

Anatomical context of otx1

• Unequal distribution of otx1 mRnas among cleavage stage blastomeres in the teleost, Leucopsarion petersii (shiro-uo) [3].
• In agreement with these results, spatial expression of goosecoid and otx1 does not overlap with the region of retinoid signalling in the late gastrula [4].
• As in the mouse, the early expression patterns of the zOtx genes are consistent with a role in defining midbrain and forebrain territories [2].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of otx1

• However, otx-1 mRNA was also present at earlier stages and we obtained unique results using in situ hybridization and RT-PCR analysis demonstrating that otx-1 signals showed a distinct increase in the upper blastomeres, but not in the lower blastomeres, at the 8-cell stage [3].

References