The Expression of Transmembrane AMPA Receptor Regulatory Proteins (TARPs) in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

• Author / Creator

  Cunningham, Marcus E

• In embryonic vertebrates, newly-formed synapses are quiet until they are unsilenced through a process that resembles synaptic plasticity but remains mechanistically unclear. I used gene expression to determine if Transmembrane AMPA Receptor Regulatory Proteins (TARPs), AMPA receptor auxiliary subunits critical for synaptic plasticity in adults, could be involved in creating the excitability of neurons during development. The sequenced genome of zebrafish makes measuring and manipulating their genetic expression relatively simple, and their quick development into free-swimming larva makes behavioural studies after antisense gene knockdown possible. The duplicated TARP genes of zebrafish are orthologous to those of mice, and were found to be expressed in two waves starting at 12-36hpf or 48hpf. The developmentally important γ2 and γ4 isoforms are expressed ubiquitously at 12hpf, but are exclusive to the nervous tissue of the head by 48hpf. Antisense knockdown experiments failed to show a phenotype distinguishable from that of off-target effects.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • TARPs
  • AMPA Receptors
  • Stargazin
  • Zebrafish
  • Developmental
  • AMPAR
  • AMPA

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3SF2MP2M

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.