Repression of organizer genes in dorsal and ventral Xenopus cells mediated by maternal XTcf3

Douglas W Houston; Matt Kofron; Ernesto Resnik; Rachel Langland; Olivier Destree; Christopher Wylie; Janet Heasman

Back

Repression of organizer genes in dorsal and ventral Xenopus cells mediated by maternal XTcf3

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Repression of organizer genes in dorsal and ventral Xenopus cells mediated by maternal XTcf3

Douglas W Houston, Matt Kofron, Ernesto Resnik, Rachel Langland, Olivier Destree, Christopher Wylie and Janet Heasman

Development (Cambridge), Vol.129(17), pp.4015-4025

09/2002

PMID: 12163405

View Online

Abstract

In the early Xenopus embryo, the dorsal axis is specified by a Wnt signal transduction pathway, involving the movement of beta-catenin into dorsal cell nuclei and its functional association with the LEF-type transcription factor XTcf3. The subsequent function of XTcf3 is uncertain. Overexpression data has suggested that it can be both an activator and repressor of downstream genes. XTcf3 mRNA is synthesized during oogenesis in Xenopus and is stored in the egg. To identify its role in dorsal axis specification, we depleted this maternal store in full-grown oocytes using antisense deoxyoligonucleotides, and fertilized them. The developmental effects of XTcf3 depletion, both on morphogenesis and the expression of marker genes, show that primarily, XTcf3 is an inhibitor, preventing both dorsal and ventral cells of the late blastula from expressing dorsal genes. We also show that simple relief from the repression is not the only factor required for dorsal gene expression. To demonstrate this, we fertilized eggs that had been depleted of both XTcf3 and the maternal transcription factor VegT. Dorsal genes normally repressed by XTcf3 are not activated in these embryos. These data show that normal dorsal gene expression in the embryo requires the transcriptional activator VegT, whilst XTcf3 prevents their inappropriate expression on the ventral side of the embryo.

T-Box Domain Proteins - physiology

Xenopus

Homeodomain Proteins - metabolism

Blastocyst - physiology

Nodal Signaling Ligands

RNA, Messenger - metabolism

Repressor Proteins - physiology

Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental

HMGB Proteins - genetics

HMGB Proteins - physiology

TCF Transcription Factors

Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism

Female

Organizers, Embryonic

Transcription Factors - physiology

beta Catenin

Oocytes - metabolism

Transcription Factor 7-Like 1 Protein

Repressor Proteins - genetics

Transcription Factors - genetics

Xenopus Proteins

T-Box Domain Proteins - genetics

Homeodomain Proteins - genetics

Body Patterning - physiology

Proteins - genetics

Animals

Proteins - metabolism

Axin Protein

Trans-Activators - metabolism

Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism

Goosecoid Protein

Details

Title: Subtitle: Repression of organizer genes in dorsal and ventral Xenopus cells mediated by maternal XTcf3
Creators: Douglas W Houston - Division of Developmental Biology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA
Matt Kofron
Ernesto Resnik
Rachel Langland
Olivier Destree
Christopher Wylie
Janet Heasman
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Development (Cambridge), Vol.129(17), pp.4015-4025
Publisher: England
PMID: 12163405
ISSN: 0950-1991
eISSN: 1477-9129
Grant note: R01 HD33002 / NICHD NIH HHS F32 HD40716-01 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 09/2002
Academic Unit: Biology
Record Identifier: 9983992055602771

Metrics

20 Record Views

92 Times Cited - Web of Science