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nagie oko, encoding a MAGUK-family protein, is essential for cellular patterning of the retina

Nature Genetics volume 31, pages 150–157 (2002)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 01 August 2002

Abstract

A layered organization of cells is a common architectural feature of many neuronal formations. Mutations of the zebrafish gene nagie oko (nok) produce a severe disruption of retinal architecture, indicating a key role for this locus in neuronal patterning. We show that nok encodes a membrane-associated guanylate kinase-family scaffolding protein. Nok localizes to the vicinity of junctional complexes in retinal neuroepithelium and in the photoreceptor cell layer. Mosaic analysis indicates that the nok retinal patterning phenotype is not cell-autonomous. We propose that nok function in patterning of postmitotic neurons is mediated through neuroepithelial cells and is necessary for guiding neurons to their proper destinations in retinal laminae.

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Figure 1: The nok phenotype in retina and brain.
Figure 2: Positional cloning of nagie oko.
Figure 3: Phenocopy and rescue of the nok phenotype.
Figure 4: Transcript and protein product localization of nok.
Figure 5: nok functions in a non–cell-autonomous manner in the patterning of the retina.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to T. Dryja, L. Zon, S. Heller, B. Sewell, J. Shen, Z. Pujic and H. Jo for comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. We thank Z. Pujic, G. Doerre, T. Li, D. Hong, C. Lu, L. Zon, B. Barut, D. Ransom, N. Trede and D. Sgroi for technical assistance. This work was supported by awards from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation (to X.W.), the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation (to J.M.), the Research to Prevent Blindness Foundation (to J.M.) and the National Eye Institute (to J.M.).

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  1. Xiangyun Wei

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, 46556, USA

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  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School/MEEI, 243 Charles Street, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Xiangyun Wei & Jarema Malicki

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Correspondence to Jarema Malicki.

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Wei, X., Malicki, J. nagie oko, encoding a MAGUK-family protein, is essential for cellular patterning of the retina. Nat Genet 31, 150–157 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng883

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