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Xenopus Protocols pp 155–166Cite as

Chemical Genetics and Drug Discovery in Xenopus

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 917))

Abstract

Chemical genetics uses small molecules to modulate protein function and has the potential to perturb any biochemical event in a complex cellular context. The application of chemical genetics to dissect biological processes has become an attractive alternative to mutagenesis screens due to its technical simplicity, inexpensive reagents, and low-startup costs. Xenopus embryos are particularly amenable to whole organism chemical genetic screens. Here we describe the basic protocols we have developed to screen small compound libraries on Xenopus laevis embryos. We score embryos either by observing phenotypic changes in the whole tadpole or by changes in gene expression pattern using automated wholemount in situ hybridization.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Rob Field and Andrea Munsterberg for helpful discussions. AH is funded by a UEA/JIC joint studentship supported by AstraZeneca.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England, UK

    Matthew L. Tomlinson, Adam E. Hendry & Grant N. Wheeler

Authors
  1. Matthew L. Tomlinson
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  2. Adam E. Hendry
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  3. Grant N. Wheeler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Grant N. Wheeler .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, FORESTERHILL, ABERDEEN, AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom

    STEFAN HOPPLER

  2. , Department of Biological Science, University of Calgary, University Drive NW 2500, Calgary, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Peter D Vize

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Tomlinson, M.L., Hendry, A.E., Wheeler, G.N. (2012). Chemical Genetics and Drug Discovery in Xenopus . In: HOPPLER, S., Vize, P. (eds) Xenopus Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 917. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-992-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-992-1_9

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-991-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-992-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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