Induction of a secondary body axis in Xenopus by antibodies to beta-catenin.
We have obtained evidence that a known intracellular component of the cadherin cell-cell adhesion machinery, beta-catenin, contributes to the development of the body axis in the frog Xenopus laevis. Vertebrate beta-catenin is homologous to the Drosophila segment polarity gene product armadillo, and to vertebrate plakoglobin (McCrea, P. D., C. W. Turck, and B. Gumbiner. 1991. Science (Wash. DC). 254: 1359-1361.). Beta-Catenin was found present in all Xenopus embryonic stages examined, and associated with C-cadherin, the major cadherin present in early Xenopus embryos. To test beta-catenin's function, affinity purified Fab fragments were injected into ventral blastomeres of developing four-cell Xenopus embryos. A dramatic phenotype, the duplication of the dorsoanterior embryonic axis, was observed. Furthermore, Fab injections were capable of rescuing dorsal features in UV-ventralized embryos. Similar phenotypes have been observed in misexpression studies of the Wnt and other gene products, suggesting that beta-catenin participates in a signaling pathway which specifies embryonic patterning.
McCrea
P D
PD
Cellular Biochemistry and Biophysics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York 10021.
Brieher
W M
WM
Gumbiner
B M
BM
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008845:Microinjections; D010641:Phenotype; D015534:Trans-Activators; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology; D051176:beta Catenin
C495266:CTNNB1 protein, Xenopus; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D015534:Trans-Activators; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin