Jmjd6a regulates GSK3β RNA splicing in Xenopus laevis eye development
Fig 3
Knockdown of Jmjd6a leads to various eye defects in Xenopus laevis development.
(A) Injection of Jmjd6 MO results in various eye defects (normal to severe) in the injected side of embryos (red arrows) at stage 40 (n = 3). Dorsal (1st row) and lateral (2nd row) views are shown. In transverse sections (3rd row), retinal layers including the RPE, ONL, INL and GCL are deformed in the Jmjd6 MO-injected side of embryos. In severe cases, the lens is not formed. Immunohistochemical examination (4th row) reveals that expression of Islet1, which is expressed in the GCL and INL in normal Xenopus eye, is decreased in Jmjd6 MO injected embryos. In severe cases, expression of Islet1 is barely detected. Scale bars: 100 μm. (B) Quantification of abnormal eye phenotypes. Abnormal eye phenotypes are rescued by co-injection of Jmjd6a mRNA without 5’UTR (Δ5’UTR Jmjd6a). (C) In longitudinal section of embryo at stage 40, Jmjd6 MO-injected sides (red arrow) show abnormal brain (*) structure. Scale bars: 20 μm. (D) In longitudinal section of embryo at stage 40, Jmjd6 MO-injected sides (red arrow) shows formation of an ectopic eye, which developed incompletely (**) in embryos without eye formation. Scale bars: 20 μm. RPE: retinal pigment epithelium, ONL (O): outer nuclear layer, INL (I): inner nuclear layer, GCL (G): ganglion cell layer, L: lens, C: ciliary marginal zone.