Pharyngeal endoderm expression of nanos1 is dispensable for craniofacial development

• Published in: Gene Expression Patterns Vol. 41; p. 119202
• Main Authors: Na, Hyejee, Park, Jangwon, Jeon, Haewon, Jin, Sil, Choe, Chong Pyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.09.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Craniofacial development; Endoderm; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Germ Cells; nanos1; Pharyngeal endoderm; Pharynx; Zebrafish; Zebrafish - genetics; Pharyngeal endoderm; Craniofacial development; Zebrafish; nanos1
• ISSN: 1567-133X; 1872-7298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2021.119202

Nanos proteins are essential for developing primordial germ cells (PGCs) in both invertebrates and vertebrates. In invertebrates, also contribute to the patterning of the anterior-posterior axis of the embryo and the neural development. In vertebrates, however, besides the role of Nanos proteins in PGC development, the biological functions of the proteins in normal development have not yet been identified. Here, we analyzed the expression and function of nanos1 during craniofacial development in zebrafish. nanos1 was expressed in the pharyngeal endoderm and endodermal pouches essential for the development of facial skeletons and endocrine glands in the vertebrate head. However, no craniofacial defects, such as abnormal pouches, hypoplasia of the thymus, malformed facial skeletons, have been found in nanos1 knockout animals. The normal craniofacial development of nanos1 knockout animals is unlikely a consequence of the genetic redundancy of Nanos1 with Nanos2 or Nanos3 or a result of the genetic compensation for the loss of Nanos1 by Nanos2 or Nanos3 because the expression of nanos2 and nanos3 was rarely seen in the pharyngeal endoderm and endodermal pouches in wild-type and nanos1 mutant animals during craniofacial development. Our findings suggest that nanos1 expression in the pharyngeal endoderm might be dispensable for craniofacial development in zebrafish. •Zebrafish nanos1 is expressed in the pharyngeal endoderm and pouches during craniofacial development.•Loss-of-function mutations in nanos1 do not affect the development of pouches, thymus, and facial skeletons in zebrafish.•nanos1 expression in the pharyngeal endoderm appears to be dispensable for craniofacial development in zebrafish.