The zebrafish zisp gene encodes a putative transmembrane protein with a DHHC zinc finger motif. At the segmentation period zisp is expressed in the adaxial cells and the somites in a striping pattern. The zisp transcripts are localized to the posterior parts within the individual somites. In fused somites mutants, zisp is expressed throughout the somitic mesoderm. These expression patterns are similar to those of myoD. In addition to the somitic expression, the zisp expression was observed in lens cells at the late segmentation period and the early pharyngula period.