A Xenopus distal-less gene in transgenic mice: conserved regulation in distal limb epidermis and other sites of epithelial-mesenchymal interaction.
In this paper, we show the conserved regulation of the homeodomain gene Distal-less-3 (Dlx-3) by analyzing the expression of a promoter from the Xenopus ortholog, Xdll-2, in transgenic mice. A 470-bp frog regulatory sequence confers appropriate expression on a lacZ reporter gene in the ectodermal component of structures derived from epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. Remarkably, this includes structures absent in Xenopus, such as the hair follicle and mammary gland, suggesting that conserved regulatory elements can be used to control the formation of structures peculiar to individual species. In addition, expression of Dlx-3 in developing limbs is highest at the most distal portion. This pattern is duplicated by the Xenopus promoter, indicating that this DNA may include sequences responsive to conserved proximodistal patterning signals in the vertebrate limb.
Morasso
M I
MI
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-2790, USA.
Mahon
K A
KA
Sargent
T D
TD
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000196:embryology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014981:Xenopus / Q000235:genetics*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis
D017931:DNA Primers; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C093343:Xenopus Distal-less-like protein-2; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase