The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development

The Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase2A (KMT2A) acts as a global regulator of gene expression. KMT2A is responsible for methylation of lysine 4 of histone 3 (H3K4) on a small subset of genes, including HOX genes. The methylation of H3K4 neutralizes lysine positive charge thus making associated gene...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Anastasiia, Fadieieva
Other Authors: Mark Featherstone
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10356/73275
_version_ 1811687155405160448
author Anastasiia, Fadieieva
author2 Mark Featherstone
author_facet Mark Featherstone
Anastasiia, Fadieieva
author_sort Anastasiia, Fadieieva
collection NTU
description The Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase2A (KMT2A) acts as a global regulator of gene expression. KMT2A is responsible for methylation of lysine 4 of histone 3 (H3K4) on a small subset of genes, including HOX genes. The methylation of H3K4 neutralizes lysine positive charge thus making associated genes available for transcription. Having a general cellular function in histone methylation, KMT2A plays important roles in a variety of different cell processes and embryonic development. In medicine KMT2A is known to form fusions with other genes as a result of chromosomal trans locations. The products of these fusions are known as a major cause of infant acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukaemia. In spite of these extremely important biological roles, the molecular mechanisms of KMT2A action are poorly understood. A better understanding ofthe action ofKMT2A in embryonic development will help shed light on its basic cell functions and on the molecular mechanisms of the oncogenicity ofKMT2A-fusions. To study the role ofKMT2A in embryonic development, we used morpholino (MO) knock-down and CRISPR-Cas9 knock-out approaches in zebrafish embryos. By phenotypic observation of kmt2a morphants and mutants, we found that downregulation or loss of function of kmt2a cause severe defects in blood circulation, defects in the development of some tissues derived from the neural plate border (NPB) and defects in eye development. We revealed severe perturbations of primitive erythropoiesis and vascularization in kmt2a knock-down embryos and established the position of kmt2a in the genetic hierarchy regulating embryonic erythropoiesis and vasculogenesis. kmt2a downregulation also was shown to affect development ofNPB derivatives (craniofacial cartilages, Rohon-Beard cells, trigeminal ganglia). We also detected transcription factors regulating development NPB and its derivatives neural crest (NC) and Rohon-Beard (RB), the expression of which is affected by kmt2a knock-down. The novel role of kmt2a in the bilateral splitting of forebrain into left and right fields and morphogenesis of optic stalk and optic cup was also shown by downregulation and loss-of-function approaches. The study thus revealed novel roles for kmt2a in zebrafish primitive and definitive hematopoiesis, vasculo- and angiogenesis, NPB, forebrain and eye development and provides multiple avenues by a which deeper understanding of the molecular functions of kmt2a can be further explored.
first_indexed 2024-10-01T05:11:49Z
format Thesis
id ntu-10356/73275
institution Nanyang Technological University
language English
last_indexed 2024-10-01T05:11:49Z
publishDate 2018
record_format dspace
spelling ntu-10356/732752023-02-28T18:39:51Z The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development Anastasiia, Fadieieva Mark Featherstone School of Biological Sciences DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences The Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase2A (KMT2A) acts as a global regulator of gene expression. KMT2A is responsible for methylation of lysine 4 of histone 3 (H3K4) on a small subset of genes, including HOX genes. The methylation of H3K4 neutralizes lysine positive charge thus making associated genes available for transcription. Having a general cellular function in histone methylation, KMT2A plays important roles in a variety of different cell processes and embryonic development. In medicine KMT2A is known to form fusions with other genes as a result of chromosomal trans locations. The products of these fusions are known as a major cause of infant acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukaemia. In spite of these extremely important biological roles, the molecular mechanisms of KMT2A action are poorly understood. A better understanding ofthe action ofKMT2A in embryonic development will help shed light on its basic cell functions and on the molecular mechanisms of the oncogenicity ofKMT2A-fusions. To study the role ofKMT2A in embryonic development, we used morpholino (MO) knock-down and CRISPR-Cas9 knock-out approaches in zebrafish embryos. By phenotypic observation of kmt2a morphants and mutants, we found that downregulation or loss of function of kmt2a cause severe defects in blood circulation, defects in the development of some tissues derived from the neural plate border (NPB) and defects in eye development. We revealed severe perturbations of primitive erythropoiesis and vascularization in kmt2a knock-down embryos and established the position of kmt2a in the genetic hierarchy regulating embryonic erythropoiesis and vasculogenesis. kmt2a downregulation also was shown to affect development ofNPB derivatives (craniofacial cartilages, Rohon-Beard cells, trigeminal ganglia). We also detected transcription factors regulating development NPB and its derivatives neural crest (NC) and Rohon-Beard (RB), the expression of which is affected by kmt2a knock-down. The novel role of kmt2a in the bilateral splitting of forebrain into left and right fields and morphogenesis of optic stalk and optic cup was also shown by downregulation and loss-of-function approaches. The study thus revealed novel roles for kmt2a in zebrafish primitive and definitive hematopoiesis, vasculo- and angiogenesis, NPB, forebrain and eye development and provides multiple avenues by a which deeper understanding of the molecular functions of kmt2a can be further explored. ​Doctor of Philosophy (SBS) 2018-02-06T09:24:10Z 2018-02-06T09:24:10Z 2018 Thesis Anastasiia, F. (2018). The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development. Doctoral thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. http://hdl.handle.net/10356/73275 10.32657/10356/73275 en 122 p. application/pdf
spellingShingle DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences
Anastasiia, Fadieieva
The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development
title The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development
title_full The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development
title_fullStr The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development
title_full_unstemmed The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development
title_short The role of KMT2A in zebrafish development
title_sort role of kmt2a in zebrafish development
topic DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences
url http://hdl.handle.net/10356/73275
work_keys_str_mv AT anastasiiafadieieva theroleofkmt2ainzebrafishdevelopment
AT anastasiiafadieieva roleofkmt2ainzebrafishdevelopment