Function Of Zebrafish SNX10, A Member Of The Sorting Nexins Family

SNXs(sorting nexins) is a new gene family, featured with PX domain, localizing in early endosome, and playing a role in proteins sorting in eukaryotic cells. As a conservative gene family, they express from yeast to human. It is reported that some of them participate in EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) sorting, while functions of most of these proteins haven't been explored.SNX10 of either human or mice induces large vacuoles in eukaryotic cell lines as reported, however its function in vivo is still a question. With the model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio), this study tried to illustrate physiological function of dSNX10a and dSNX10b in early development stages. Through cell lines transfection, ISH (in situ hybridization), and knock-down technologies, we demonstrated dSNX10a is the ortholog of human SNX10 (hSNX10), participating in Danio L/R asymmetry foundation, and dSNX10b is a fish specific gene, playing a role in Danio heart development. Although the two genes share high identity (61%), also both of them localize in early endosome, they function throughly differently in cell lines and in vivo. Our results is the basis to study the relationship between molecular structure and their function, and it could also be an attempt as a method to further explore the function of other SNXs families.