Identification and characterization of il7r promoter in zebrafish in the early developmental stages.

• Grant number: 23/10216-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Embryology
• Principal Investigator: Maraysa de Oliveira Melo Stein
• Grantee: Raffael Rotta Bindi
• Host Institution: Centro Infantil de Investigações Hematológicas Dr Domingos A Boldrini (CIB). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Promoting regions are located near the transcription site and the beginning of a gene. These regions regulate both activation and the inhibition of certain genes in different cell types. This process occurs through the binding of transcription factors to specific sequences present in the promoter region. Cellular differentiation occurs through the activation or inhibition of several genes, binding of transcription factors and other regulatory regions, such as enhancers. The IL7R gene codes a transmembrane receptor protein fundamental to the differentiation of lymphocytes B and T during the hematopoiesis process. For this, it is necessary the expression of IL7R at specific stages of immune system development. It is known that hematopoiesis is a highly conserved process among all vertebrates, especially among humans and zebrafish (Danio rerio). Moreover, Danio rerio is a model that offers several advantages for molecular studies. Based on this information, this work seeks to identify and characterize the il7r promoter region on zebrafish during embryonic development, in order to understand its regulation and expression. For this, sequences above the il7r transcription site of zebrafish, with different sizes, will be inserted in vectors containing the sequence of fluorescent green protein (GFP). Thus, these constructs will be injected into zebrafish embryos at the 1-cell stage, in order to evaluate the potential of these fragments to direct the GFP expression. These data will be later validated by in situ hybridization for il7r. Therefore, it will be possible to develop zebrafish models that use the IL7R promoter to direct the expression of potentially pathological mutations.