中文摘要：

POU domain transcription factors that share a conserved DNA-binding domain, POU domain, are important regulators for the development of embryos in various animal species. A novel zebrafish POU domain gene, poulll has been cloned. The poullll cDNA is 2080 kb in length and encodes a putative polypeptide of 596 ammo acids. It is placed into class II POU family since it shares a high degree of homology with the known members of this family. Northern hybridization identifies a major transcript of approximately 2.1 kb that was present in embryos at the single-cell stage throughout 24 h postfertilization. The whole mount in situ hybridization shows that poulll transcripts are present in the single-cell embryos, strongly suggesting that these transcripts are of maternal origin. During early development of the embryos, poulll mRNA was ubiquitously distributed in all cells and tissues. The transcripts are gradually limited to brains and become completely undetectable by day 3. To our knowledge, poulll is the first