CONSERVATION OF BF-1 EXPRESSION IN AMPHIOXUS AND ZEBRAFISH SUGGESTS EVOLUTIONARY ANCESTRY OF ANTERIOR CELL-TYPES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE VERTEBRATE TELENCEPHALON
H. Toresson et al., CONSERVATION OF BF-1 EXPRESSION IN AMPHIOXUS AND ZEBRAFISH SUGGESTS EVOLUTIONARY ANCESTRY OF ANTERIOR CELL-TYPES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE VERTEBRATE TELENCEPHALON, Development, genes and evolution, 208(8), 1998, pp. 431-439
The forkhead domain containing transcription factor BF-1 has been show
n to play a major role in the correct development of the cerebral hemi
spheres in the mouse. BF-1 orthologs have been isolated from zebrafish
and the cephalocordate amphioxus. In both species, BF-1 is expressed
in the anterior neural tube. In zebrafish zBF-1 expression is restrict
ed to anterior portions of the otic vesicle and to the presumptive tel
encephalon. In amphioxus AmphiBF-1 is transiently seen in the frontal
part of the first somite and, at 3 days of development, in a small num
ber of cells in the cerebral vesicle (cv). The anterior expression of
BF-I in chordates and vertebrates and of slp-1/2 in Drosophila suggest
s that BF-1 is crucial for an evolutionarily conserved specification o
f anterior neuronal cell types.