Molecular cloning and expression of two closely related GTP-binding proteins from zebrafish

Developmentally regulated GTP-binding proteins (DRGs) are a subclass of GTP-binding proteins that have been discovered recently. Here we report two zebrafish DRG cDNA clones closely related to human and mouse DRG genes. The two DRG sequences showed a high degree of similarity (55% identity, 72% similarity) at the amino acids level. Whole mount in situ hybridization revealed expression of zebrafish DRGs maternally, following the onset of zygotic transcription at the mid-blastula transition (MBT) and throughout embryonic. The expression of these two genes in different tissues follows a similar pattern, suggesting that they may serve a similar function.