The expression of gbx-2 during zebrafish embryogenesis

Gbx-2 is a homeobox gene essential for normal development of the midbrain and the anterior hindbrain. Zebrafish gbx-2 shares an overall similarity of 67.8, 68.1, 60.6 and 66.5% in amino acid sequence to human, mouse, chick and Xenopus Gbx-2, respectively. The expression of zebrafish gbx-2 is initially, before the completion of epiboly, restricted to the prospective posterior midbrain. The expression remains detectable until the end of pharyngula period. The gbx-2 mRNA is also detected in the otic vesicles, the dorsoposterior telencephalon, the rostral branchial arches, the pronephric duct and median fin fold.