RNA binding proteins have multiple diverse cellular functions and are
often mis-regulated in disease. Despite their many cellular functions
and implications in disease, very little is known about their
physiological functions. Here we describe a novel zebrafish knockout
model of the RNA binding proteins Hnrnpa1 and Hnrnpa3. Loss of Hnrnpa3
in zebrafish has no obvious morphological phenotype. Similarly, single
mutants of the duplicated zebrafish hnrnpa1 genes, hnrnpa1a and hnrnpa1b, have no discernible phenotype, whereas the hnrnpa1a; hnrnpa1b
double mutants are embryonic lethal. They display muscle, vascular and
developmental defects with a reduced volume of the yolk extension.
Metabolic profiling revealed severe changes in lipid metabolism in the hnrnpa1a; hnrnpa1b
double mutants. Our analysis identified the involvement of Hnrnpa1 in
many cellular pathways including the regulation of lipid metabolism and
opens the door for future therapeutic studies in HNRNPA-associated
diseases.