Vertebrate gastrulation is a dynamic period of development characterized by extensive cell migrations. This stage of development is likely to require the expression of a new genetic repertoire to initiate and direct these dramatic changes. The differential RNA display has been used to identify genes specifically expressed during the gastrula stage of a model vertebrate, the zebrafish. One of the genes isolated by the differential display technique has been sequenced and characterized for its spatial and temporal expression. This gene, called G12, is expressed during a narrow window of time during gastrulation and is restricted to a single cell type. At this time of development the zebrafish embryo consists of three cell types: the yolk cell, EVL cells and deep cells. Interestingly, both EVL and deep cells derive early in development from common progenitor cells but G12 expression is restricted only to the EVL lineage. Comparison of the amino acid sequence from this gene with the Genbank database indicates similarity to two previously reported mammalian genes. The similarity between these three genes suggests that they may serve a common function. The G12 gene is the first example of restricted gene expression in EVL cells of the zebrafish. The G12 gene should prove to be a useful model for the study of regulated gene expression during gastrulation.
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