title: Sequence and distribution of Xenopus laevis E-cadherin transcripts.
abstract: Cadherins are calcium-dependent adhesive glycoproteins implicated in histogenetic processes. In Xenopus laevis, the distribution of classical cadherins N, E, EP, XB and U has been determined by immunofluorescence labeling or by in situ hybridization. In this study, we report the full-length sequence of the E-cadherin cDNA. Comparison with the other cadherin sequences available indicates that Xenopus E-cadherin is as homologous to Xenopus EP-cadherin as to the chicken L-CAM and to the mammalian E-cadherin. Although Xenopus E-cadherin protein sequence exhibits many short conserved motifs present in other E-cadherins, it differs remarkably from the chicken L-CAM and the mammalian E-cadherin in its appearance after gastrulation. In situ hybridization data showed that E-cadherin transcripts are homogenously distributed in all differentiating epithelia from early tailbud to post-metamorphic stage. In contrast to mouse E-cadherin, Xenopus E-cadherin was not detected transiently in the nervous system during embryogenesis and in the post-metamorphic stages.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiopathology of Development, CNRS URA 1337, Paris, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Broders
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Girault
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simonneau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Thiery
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics*; D002645:Chickens; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger