Gata transcription factors have been implicated in heart and liver development in mice but the early death of mouse embryos lacking these proteins has prevented a full investigation of their roles in vertebrate organogenesis. Now, on , Holtzinger and Evans report that Gata4 and related proteins regulate the formation of multiple organs in zebrafish. Using morpholino knockdown, the researchers show that Gata4 has similar functions in zebrafish and mouse heart development, and that it is also required for zebrafish intestine, liver, pancreas and swim bladder development. Additional knockdown experiments indicate that although Gata4 and Gata6 have non-redundant functions in heart morphogenesis and liver bud growth, they act redundantly during liver bud formation in zebrafish. These findings and future studies should advance our understanding of the numerous human congenital disorders,including heart defects, that are associated with GATA mutations.
