CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A 70 KD HEAT-SHOCK COGNATE (HSC70) GENE FROM THE ZEBRAFISH (DANIO-RERIO)

The heat shock 70 family of proteins is one of the most highly conserv ed among ail species. The genes encoding these proteins have been clon ed and sequenced from bacterial species to humans with a high degree o f homology preserved throughout evolution. Here we describe the clonin g and characterization of a cDNA encoding a 70 kd heat shock cognate ( hsc70) gene from the zebrafish (Danio rerio). A high degree of conserv ation is observed among hsc70 genes of other species as shown by phylo genetic analysis. The characterization of a hsc70 gene in the zebrafis h provides a marker for studying the role of a constitutively expresse d member of the hsp70 family in an important developmental and evoluti onary model system.