Skip to main content
Log in

Detection of the Xvent-2 transcription factor in early development of Xenopus laevis

  • Cell Molecular Biology
  • Published:
Molecular Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The transcription factor Xvent-2 is thought to appear in Xenopus embryos after activation of the zygote genome in late blastula. This conclusion is based on detection of the Xvent-2 mRNA in embryos. Recombinant Xvent-2 and a specific antiserum were obtained and used to study Xvent-2 content at various stages of early development of X. laevis. Xvent-2 was detected in eggs and embryos from cleavage to the beginning of spontaneous motions (stage 26). As in other studies, the Xvent-2 mRNA was undetectable in embryos before the midblastula transition. The content of this mRNA grew, reached its maximum at stages 15–16, and then decreased. The content of the Xvent-2 protein remained constant, approximately 150 pg per embryo. The conclusions were made that Xvent-2 was maternally provided and stored in eggs and that the regulation of its synthesis in embryos was independent on the amount of its mRNA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Schmidt J.E., von Dassow G., Kimelman D. 1996. Regulation of dorzal-ventral patterning: The ventralizing effects of the novel Xenopus homeobox gene Vox. Development. 122, 1711–1721.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ladher R., Mohun N.J., Smith J.C., Snape A.M. 1996. Xom: A Xenopus homeobox gene that mediates the early effects of BMP-4. Development. 122, 2385–2394.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Onichtchouk D., Gawantka V., Dosch R., et al. 1996. The Xvent-2 homeobox gene is part of the BMP-4 signaling pathway controlling dorsoventral patterning of Xenopus mesoderm. Development. 122, 3045–3053.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Papalopulu N., Kintner C. 1996. A Xenopus gene, Xbr-1, defines a novel class of homeobox genes and is expressed in the dorsal ciliary margin of the eye. Dev. Biol. 174, 104–114.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rastegar S., Friedle H., Frommer G., Knochel W. 1999. Transcriptional regulation of Xvent homeobox genes. Mech. Dev. 81, 139–149.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Schuler-Metz A., Knochel S., Kaufmann E., Knochel W. 2000. The homeodomain transcription factor Xvent-2 mediates autocatalytic regulation of BMP-4 expression in Xenopus embryos. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 34365–34374.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Melby A.E., Clements W.K., Kimelman D. 1999. Regulation of dorsal gene expression in Xenopus by the ventralizing homeodomain gene Vox. Dev. Biol. 211, 293–305.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Onichtchouk D., Glinka A., Niehrs C. 1998. Requirement for Xvent-1 and Xvent-2 gene function in dorsoventral patterning of Xenopus mesoderm. Development. 125, 1447–1456.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Trindade M., Tada M., Smith J.C. 1999. DNA-binding specificity and embryological function of Xom (Xvent-2). Dev. Biol. 216, 442–456.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Melby A.E., Beach C., Mullins M., Kimelman D. 2000. Patterning the early zebrafish by the opposing actions of bozozok and vox/vent. Dev. Biol. 224, 275–285.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Martynova N., Eroshkin F., Ermakova G., et al. 2004. Patterning the forebrain: FoxA4a/Pintallavis and Xvent2 determine the posterior limit of Xanf1 expression in the neural plate. Development. 131, 2329–2338.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rachidi M., Lopes C. 2006. Differential transcription of Barhl1 homeobox gene in restricted functional domains of the central nervous system suggests a role in brain patterning. Int. J. Dev. Neurosci. 24, 35–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lopes C., Delezoide A.L., Delabar J.M., Rachidi M. 2006. BARHL1 homeogene, the human ortholog of the mouse Barhl1 involved in cerebellum development, shows regional and cellular specificities in restricted domains of developing human central nervous system. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 339, 296–304.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gao H., Wu B., Giese R., Zhu Z. 2007. Xom interacts with and stimulates transcriptional activity of LEF1/TCFs: Implications for ventral cell fate determination during vertebrate embryogenesis. Cell Res. 17, 345–356.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Voronina A.S., Pshennikova E.S., Shatilov D.V. 2003. Distribution of the Xvent-2 mRNA between informosomes and polysomes in early frog development. Mol. Biol. 37, 429–435.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Nieuwkoop P.D., Faber J. 1956. Normal Table of Xenopus laevis (Daudin): A Systematical and Chronological Survey of the Development from the Fertilized Egg till the End of Metamorphosis. Amsterdam: North Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Voronina A.S., Potekhina E.S. 1999. Translational regulation of synthesis of proteins responsible for dorsoventral differentiation of Xenopus laevis embryos. Russ. J. Dev. Biol. 30, 65–71.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sambrook J., Fritsch E.F., Maniatis T. 1989. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Lab. Press.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Voronina A.S., Pshennikova E.S. 2008. RNA isolation from the ribonucleoproteins fixed with formaldehyde. Appl. Biochem. Microbiol. 44, 218–222.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Voronina A.S. 2002. Translational regulation in early development of eukaryotes. Mol. Biol. 36, 773–782.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Spirin A.S. 1969. Informosomes. Eur. J. Biochem. 10, 20–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Voronina A.S., Pshennikova E.S. 2006. Activity of specific mRNAs in early development of Xenopus and Rana embryos. J. Biol. Sci. 6, 115–120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Zhu Z., Kirschner M. 2002. Regulated proteolysis of Xom mediates dorsoventral pattern formation during early Xenopus development. Dev. Cell. 3, 557–568.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Henningfeld K.A., Friedle H., Restegar S., Knochel W. 2002. Autoregulation of Xvent-2B: Direct interaction and functional cooperation of Xvent-2 and Smad1. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 2097–2103.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. S. Voronina.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © E.S. Pshennikova, A.S. Voronina, 2008, published in Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, 2008, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 1004–1009.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pshennikova, E.S., Voronina, A.S. Detection of the Xvent-2 transcription factor in early development of Xenopus laevis . Mol Biol 42, 901–905 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026893308060101

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026893308060101

Key words

Navigation