A5057061873- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Phytoplasmas and Hemiptera pathogens
- Axon Guidance and Neuronal Signaling
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- Congenital heart defects research
- Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancer
- Research on scale insects
- Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Studies
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Hippo pathway signaling and YAP/TAZ
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Cancer-related gene regulation
- Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Ocular Disorders and Treatments
- Plant and animal studies
- MicroRNA in disease regulation
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
University College London
2015-2024
University of Central Missouri
2005-2023
Faculty of Media
2023
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
2022
La Jolla Institute for Immunology
2020
MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology
2008-2019
Xenetic Biosciences (United Kingdom)
2019
California State University System
2017
University of Bedfordshire
2016
Unilever (United Kingdom)
1999-2015
Pax6 and Pax2 are members of the Pax family transcription factors that both expressed in developing visual system zebrafish embryos. protein is present all cells form neural retina pigment epithelium, whereas located primarily will give rise to optic stalk. In this study, we have addressed role midline signalling regulation distributions subsequent morphogenesis eyes. Midline severely perturbed cyclops mutant embryos resulting an absence ventral CNS tissue fusion Mutant ectopically express a...
ABSTRACT We have examined neuronal differentiation and the formation of axon tracts in embryonic forebrain midbrain zebrafish, between 1 2 days postfertilisation. Axons were visualised with three techniques; immunocytochemistry (using HNK-1 antiacetylated tubulin antibodies) horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labelling whole-mounted brains, transmission electron microscopy. Differentiation was monitored by histochemical staining for acetylcholinesterase (AChE). These independent methods...
Abstract Background MicroRNA (miRNA) encoding genes are abundant in vertebrate genomes but very few have been studied any detail. Bioinformatic tools allow prediction of miRNA targets and this information coupled with knowledge expression profiles facilitates formulation hypotheses function. Although the central nervous system (CNS) is a prominent site expression, virtually nothing known about spatial temporal miRNAs brain. To provide an overview breadth CNS, we performed comprehensive...
Adult zebrafish are robustly social animals whereas larvae not. We designed an assay to determine at what stage of development begin interact with and prefer other fish. One week old show no preference most three strongly remain in a compartment where they can view conspecifics. However, for some individuals, the presence conspecifics drives avoidance instead attraction. Social is dependent on vision requires viewing fish similar age/size. In addition, over same one period larval...
Abstract Although manganese is an essential trace metal, little known about its transport and homeostatic regulation. Here we have identified a cohort of patients with novel autosomal recessive transporter defect caused by mutations in SLC39A14. Excessive accumulation these results rapidly progressive childhood-onset parkinsonism–dystonia distinctive brain magnetic resonance imaging appearances neurodegenerative features on post-mortem examination. We show that SLC39A14 impair vitro lead to...
Hundreds of human genes are associated with neurological diseases, but translation into tractable biological mechanisms is lagging. Larval zebrafish an attractive model to investigate genetic contributions diseases. However, current CRISPR-Cas9 methods difficult apply large screens studying behavioural phenotypes. To facilitate rapid screening, we developed a simple sequencing-free tool validate gRNAs and highly effective method capable converting >90% injected embryos directly F0...
ABSTRACT We have isolated zebrafish nk2.2, a member of the Nk-2 family homeobox genes. nk2.2 is expressed in continuous narrow band cells along boundary zone demarcating location at which two earliest nuclei brain differentiate. This located within few cell diameters expressing signalling molecule sonic hedgehog/vertebrate hedgehog-1 (shh/vhh-1). Injection shh/vhh-1 RNA results ectopic expression and concomitant abnormalities forebrain eyes. Moreover, cyclops mutant embryos, initially lack...
A number of studies have suggested that retinoic acid (RA) is an important signal for patterning the hindbrain, branchial arches and limb bud. Retinoic thought to act on posterior hindbrain buds at somitogenesis stages in chick mouse embryos. Here we report a much earlier requirement RA signalling during pre-segmentation proper development these structures zebrafish. We present evidence necessary expression spinal cord markers hoxb5a hoxb6b, suggesting influence anteroposterior neural plate...
Early neural patterning in vertebrates involves signals that inhibit anterior (A) and promote posterior (P) positional values within the nascent plate. In this study, we have investigated contributions of, interactions between, retinoic acid (RA), Fgf Wnt promotion of fates ectoderm. We analyze expression function cyp26/P450RAI, a gene encodes 4-hydroxylase, as tool for investigating these events. Cyp26 is first expressed presumptive ectoderm blastoderm margin at late blastula. When hoxb1b...
Abstract Bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmps) are key regulators of dorsoventral (DV) patterning. Within the ectoderm, Bmp activity has been shown to inhibit neural development, promote epidermal differentiation and influence specification dorsal neurons crest. In this study, we examine patterning tissue in mutant zebrafish embryos with compromised signalling activity. We find that although does not anteroposterior (AP) patterning, it affect DV at all AP levels plate. Thus, show is required...
Zebrafish embryos homozygous for the masterblind ( mbl ) mutation exhibit a striking phenotype in which eyes and telencephalon are reduced or absent diencephalic fates expand to front of brain. Here we show that −/− carry an amino-acid change at conserved site Wnt pathway scaffolding protein, Axin1. The substitution present allele abolishes binding Axin Gsk3 affects Tcf-dependent transcription. Therefore, activity may be decreased support this possibility, overexpression either wild-type...
The complex, yet highly ordered and predictable, structure of the neural retina is one most conserved features vertebrate central nervous system. In all classes, retinal neurons are organized into laminae with each neuronal class adopting specific morphologies patterns connectivity. Using genetic analyses in zebrafish, we demonstrate that N-cadherin (Ncad) has several distinct crucial functions during establishment organization. Although location cell division disorganized embryos reduced or...
During vertebrate gastrulation, mesodermal and ectodermal cells undergo convergent extension, a process characterised by prominent cellular rearrangements in which polarised intercalate along the medio-lateral axis leading to elongation of antero-posterior axis. Recently, it has become evident that noncanonical Wnt/Frizzled (Fz)/Dishevelled (Dsh) signalling pathway, is related planar-cell-polarity (PCP) pathway flies, regulates extension during gastrulation. Here we isolate functionally...
Animals show behavioral asymmetries that are mediated by differences between the left and right sides of brain. We report laterality asymmetric development diencephalic habenular nuclei photoreceptive pineal complex is regulated Nodal signaling pathway midline tissue. Analysis zebrafish embryos with compromised reveals an early role for this in repression asymmetrically expressed genes diencephalon. Later EGF-CFC protein One-eyed pinhead forkhead transcription factor Schmalspur required to...