title: Molecular cloning of cDNA for XTCAD-1, a novel Xenopus cadherin, and its expression in adult tissues and embryos of Xenopus laevis.
abstract: We have isolated from a Xenopus tailbud cDNA library a novel cadherin cDNA, denoted as XTCAD-1, which contained an open reading frame including the entire coding region. XTCAD-1 codes for 714 amino acids (molecular mass: 96 kDa), which include five characteristic extracellular cadherin motifs, a single putative transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain. In each domain, XTCAD-1 shared extensive homologies with other cadherins, and was related to EP-, E-, and P-cadherins more closely than to N- and M-cadherins. In adult Xenopus, XTCAD-1 mRNA was strongly expressed in intestine/stomach, kidney and skin, which are respectively derived from endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. In Xenopus embryogenesis, expression of XTCAD-1 mRNA was first detected at blastula stage, and the level of the expression increased gradually during gastrula stage, reached a peak at tailbud stage and then decreased slightly at tadpole stage. These results suggest that in Xenopus laevis XTCAD-1 plays an important role in the maintenance of adult tissues that contain epithelial cells abundantly and also in morphogenesis in early embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Embryology, Zoological Institute, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tooi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiokawa
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013623:Tail / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C089496:CDH1 protein, Xenopus; D015820:Cadherins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029867:Xenopus Proteins