FIGURE 5.

CRD-BP inhibition reduces mitfa expression and pigmentation in zebrafish embryos. A, zebrafish embryos were injected with CRD-BP morpholino (5 or 10 ng) or standard control morpholino. Expression levels of the zebrafish MITF ortholog, mitfa, were assayed by real time quantitative PCR at 24 h post-fertilization and normalized to zebrafish α-tubulin. Morphant expression levels are presented relative to levels of expression in control embryos. B, representative zebrafish embryo at 48 h post-fertilization, injected with control or CRD-BP morpholino. CRD-BP morphants have less pigmentation and reduced numbers of pigment cells (melanophores) in 33 of 33 morphants (from seven independent experiments).