Cloning of full-length zebrafish dcc and expression analysis during embryonic and early larval development

Members of the DCC family play key roles in axon guidance in vertebrates as well as invertebrates. In zebrafish, only a short partial sequence of the dcc gene has been reported to date. Here, we report the cloning of full-length zebrafish dcc. Zebrafish DCC shares the typical structure of the DCC subgroup of the immunoglobulin superfamily, consisting of four immunoglobulin and six fibronectin-type III repeats in the extracellular domain, a single transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain with three conserved motifs. As a first step toward studying the function of dcc, we analyzed its sequence and characterized its expression pattern during embryonic and larval development. dcc is expressed highly in brain and spinal cord, but distinct staining was also observed in developing pectoral fins, pancreas, intestine, and heart. Thus, dcc may play roles not only in axon guidance, but in morphogenesis and functioning of these organs as well.