title: alpha-Actin proteins and gene transcripts are colocalized in embryonic mouse muscle.
abstract: The alpha-actins are among the earliest muscle-specific mRNAs to appear in developing cardiac and skeletal muscle. To determine if there is coexpression of the alpha-actin proteins at early stages of myogenesis, we have used an alpha-actin-specific polyclonal antibody and in situ hybridization with specific cRNA probes to cardiac and skeletal alpha-actin transcripts on serial slides of mouse embryo sections. As soon as we can detect alpha-actin mRNAs in embryonic striated muscle, we also detect the protein suggesting that alpha-actin transcripts are translated very rapidly after transcription during myogenesis. In skeletal muscle, this colocalization of alpha-actin mRNA and protein was observed both in the myotomes of somites and in developing muscles in the limbs. In cardiac muscle, alpha-actin transcripts and proteins are abundantly expressed as soon as a cardiac tube forms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, URA CNRS 1148, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Buckingham
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Mannherz
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D051379:Mice; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D012333:RNA, Messenger