Cloning and characterization of a novel Kelch-like gene in zebrafish

Abstract

The zebrafish was used as the model to isolate and characterize a novel gene, kelch-like (klhl) by whole-mount in situ hybridization screen for important genes involved in embryogenesis. A full-length klhl cDNA was cloned and characterized. klhl is a member of the kelch-repeat superfamily, containing two evolutionary conserved domains- BTB/POZ domain and six kelch repeats. Database mining revealed the presence of putative orthologues of klhl in human, mouse, rat and pufferfish. klhl was determined to map to zebrafish linkage group 13 and was found to be syntenic with the proposed orthologs. klhl is specifically expressed in fast skeletal and cardiac muscle. Northern blot analyses show that the human ortholog, KLHL, is specifically expressed in the skeletal muscles and heart, suggesting a conserved role of klhl in vertebrates. The expression pattern of klhl together with the kelch repeats indicates a possible role for Klhl in the organization of striated muscle cytoarchitecture.