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A novel protein involved in heart development in Ambystoma mexicanum is localized in endoplasmic reticulum

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Journal of Biomedical Science

Abstract

The discovery of the naturally occurring cardiac non-function (c) animal strain in Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl) provides a valuable animal model to study cardiomyocyte differentiation. In homozygous mutant animals (c/c), rhythmic contractions of the embryonic heart are absent due to a lack of organized myofibrils. We have previously cloned a partial sequence of a peptide cDNA (N1) from an anterior-endoderm-conditioned-medium RNA library that had been shown to be able to rescue the mutant phenotype. In the current studies we have fully cloned the N1 full length cDNA sequence from the library. N1 protein has been detected in both adult heart and skeletal muscle but not in any other adult tissues. GFP-tagged expression of the N1 protein has revealed localization of the N1 protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Results from in situ hybridization experiments have confirmed the dramatic decrease of expression of N1 mRNA in mutant (c/c) embryos indicating that the N1 gene is involved in heart development.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by NIH grants HL061246 and HL58435 and by a Christine E. Lynn American Heart Association Grant-in-Aid to L.F.L. Some of the embryos used for this study were provided by the Axolotl Colony at University of Kentucky (NSF-DBI–0443496).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA

    P. Jia, C. Zhang & X. P. Huang

  2. Department of Genetics, Institute for Experimental Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    M. Poda, F. Akbas & N. Erginel-Unaltuna

  3. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The Cardiovascular Research Institute, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA

    S. L. Lemanski & L. F. Lemanski

Authors
  1. P. Jia
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  2. C. Zhang
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  3. X. P. Huang
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  4. M. Poda
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  5. F. Akbas
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  6. S. L. Lemanski
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  7. N. Erginel-Unaltuna
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  8. L. F. Lemanski
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Correspondence to L. F. Lemanski.

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Jia, P., Zhang, C., Huang, X.P. et al. A novel protein involved in heart development in Ambystoma mexicanum is localized in endoplasmic reticulum. J Biomed Sci 15, 789–799 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11373-008-9262-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11373-008-9262-y

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