Fact that anti-TTP antibodies recognize a band at the expected size in zebrafish tissues (Figure 1B). The crossreactivity of an anti-human TTP antibody (Figure 1B) coupled with the sequence comparisons (Table 1) all support that zebrafish TTP is an ortholog of the human protein. Having established the existence and putative 
functional conservation of TTP in the zebrafish, we examined its role in development. Expression of TTP mRNA during development is initially low (6 hpf), but increases dramatically by 9?2 hpf and remains elevated thru 24 hpf (Figure 2A). Importantly, increased TTP expression precedes formation of the vascular system, and days ahead of liver formation [20], suggesting a critical role for TTP during development. The phenotype, especially impaired brain formation in TTP knockdown zebrafish embryos raises the intriguing possibility that low vitamin E status has adverse events in early central nervousa-Tocopherol Transfer Protein in Early DevelopmentFigure 1. The zebrafish a-tocopherol transfer protein. A. Alignment of human and zebrafish TTP amino acid sequences is shown. Double dots indicate identical residues and single dots correspond to similar amino acids. Red text signifies a-tocopherol binding pocket. Align2 software (http:// bioinfo.cgrb.oregonstate.edu/fasta2.html. Accessed 2012 Sep 17.) was used for sequence comparison. Sequences were obtained from NCBI. B. Antihuman TTP antibody cross-reacts with TTP from adult zebrafish liver homogenate. The 33 kD zebrafish protein (left lane) shown with a Ttp2/2 mouse sample as a negative control (right lane) and a WT 
mouse sample with the 32 kD mouse homolog (left lane). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047402.gsystem development in other animals, including humans. The dramatic phenotype observed in zebrafish embryos, has not been noted in vitamin E deficient rats likely because their embryos are resorbed prior to neurogenesis or eye formation [1]. In 15755315 the case of TTP knockout mouse GSK -3203591 custom synthesis models, mothers are infertile unless supplemented with high doses of vitamin E [4]. However, Jishage et al. [4] showed that if the mother was TTP2/2 and not supplemented embryos (regardless of TTP mutations) developed neural tube defects and failed to come to term [4]. While the Jishage study focuses on mouse maternal TTP deficiency, the embryonic phenotype and link to central nervous system development is similar to our findings in the zebrafish(Figure 3C). In support of this notion, previous studies have shown a clear JSI-124 site association between maternal vitamin E status during gestation and cognitive function of the offspring [21?3]. The zebrafish model presents an important means to elucidate the fetal requirements for a-tocopherol, independent of the maternal needs. Fetal resorption and placental failure have been noted in TTP knockout mice [4,24], which are similar to outcomes observed upon diet-induced vitamin E deficiency [1,25,26]. The TTP protein is expressed in the placental and uterine cells of mice and humans [3?,27], and is thought to play an important role in supplying maternal a-tocopherol to the developing fetus to protect against oxidative stress [3]. The mammalian studies providea-Tocopherol Transfer Protein in Early DevelopmentTable 1. TTP residues implicated in a-tocopherol binding.Human residue R59 D64 H101 Y117 A120 A129 F133 S140 E141 I154 I171 I179 V182 L183 L189 R192 R221 GZebrafish residue R56 A61 H98 Y114 G117 A126 F130 S137 E137 L151 I168 I176 V179 L180 L186 R189 R118 GComparison Id.Fact that anti-TTP antibodies recognize a band at the expected size in zebrafish tissues (Figure 1B). The crossreactivity of an anti-human TTP antibody (Figure 1B) coupled with the sequence comparisons (Table 1) all support that zebrafish TTP is an ortholog of the human protein. Having established the existence and putative functional conservation of TTP in the zebrafish, we examined its role in development. Expression of TTP mRNA during development is initially low (6 hpf), but increases dramatically by 9?2 hpf and remains elevated thru 24 hpf (Figure 2A). Importantly, increased TTP expression precedes formation of the vascular system, and days ahead of liver formation [20], suggesting a critical role for TTP during development. The phenotype, especially impaired brain formation in TTP knockdown zebrafish embryos raises the intriguing possibility that low vitamin E status has adverse events in early central nervousa-Tocopherol Transfer Protein in Early DevelopmentFigure 1. The zebrafish a-tocopherol transfer protein. A. Alignment of human and zebrafish TTP amino acid sequences is shown. Double dots indicate identical residues and single dots correspond to similar amino acids. Red text signifies a-tocopherol binding pocket. Align2 software (http:// bioinfo.cgrb.oregonstate.edu/fasta2.html. Accessed 2012 Sep 17.) was used for sequence comparison. Sequences were obtained from NCBI. B. Antihuman TTP antibody cross-reacts with TTP from adult zebrafish liver homogenate. The 33 kD zebrafish protein (left lane) shown with a Ttp2/2 mouse sample as a negative control (right lane) and a WT mouse sample with the 32 kD mouse homolog (left lane). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047402.gsystem development in other animals, including humans. The dramatic phenotype observed in zebrafish embryos, has not been noted in vitamin E deficient rats likely because their embryos are resorbed prior to neurogenesis or eye formation [1]. In 15755315 the case of TTP knockout mouse models, mothers are infertile unless supplemented with high doses of vitamin E [4]. However, Jishage et al. [4] showed that if the mother was TTP2/2 and not supplemented embryos (regardless of TTP mutations) developed neural tube defects and failed to come to term [4]. While the Jishage study focuses on mouse maternal TTP deficiency, the embryonic phenotype and link to central nervous system development is similar to our findings in the zebrafish(Figure 3C). In support of this notion, previous studies have shown a clear association between maternal vitamin E status during gestation and cognitive function of the offspring [21?3]. The zebrafish model presents an important means to elucidate the fetal requirements for a-tocopherol, independent of the maternal needs. Fetal resorption and placental failure have been noted in TTP knockout mice [4,24], which are similar to outcomes observed upon diet-induced vitamin E deficiency [1,25,26]. The TTP protein is expressed in the placental and uterine cells of mice and humans [3?,27], and is thought to play an important role in supplying maternal a-tocopherol to the developing fetus to protect against oxidative stress [3]. The mammalian studies providea-Tocopherol Transfer Protein in Early DevelopmentTable 1. TTP residues implicated in a-tocopherol binding.Human residue R59 D64 H101 Y117 A120 A129 F133 S140 E141 I154 I171 I179 V182 L183 L189 R192 R221 GZebrafish residue R56 A61 H98 Y114 G117 A126 F130 S137 E137 L151 I168 I176 V179 L180 L186 R189 R118 GComparison Id.