A VASA-LIKE GENE IN ZEBRAFISH IDENTIFIES PUTATIVE PRIMORDIAL GERM-CELLS

The vasa gene is essential for germline formation in Drosophila. Vasa- related genes have been isolated from several organisms including nema tode, frog and mammals. In order to gain insight into the early events in vertebrate germline development, zebrafish was chosen as a model. Two zebrafish vasa-related genes were isolated, pl10a and vlg. The pl1 0a gene was shown to be widely expressed during embryogenesis. The vlg gene and vasa belong to the same subfamily of RNA helicase encoding g enes. Putative maternal vlg transcripts were detected shortly after fe rtilization and from the blastula stage onwards, expression was restri cted to migratory cells most Likely to be primordial germ cells. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.