Control of axis formation in Xenopus by the NF-kappa B-I kappa B system.
We describe the isolation and analysis in Xenopus of Xrel2, a novel member of the NF-kappa B/Rel protein family that remains to be described in other vertebrates. We show that Xrel2 is expressed throughout development but with higher levels in pre-gastrula embryos. Like other NF-kappa B/Rel proteins, Xrel2 protein is able to bind DNA at a kappa B-Motif. Ectopic expression of Xrel2 disrupts normal morphogenesis at the early gastrula stages suggesting that the NF-kappa B/Rel family have developmental functions at stages earlier than previously thought. We also show that the Xrel2 over-expression phenotype can be rescued by co-expression of I kappa B-alpha and that ectopic expression of I kappa B-alpha or I kappa B-gamma alone has no effect on development. Finally, we show that Xrel2 does not divert animal caps from an ectodermal to a mesodermal cell fate. Overall, these results suggest that the NF-kappa B/Rel family does have key functions in early vertebrate development, however, there is not a simple conservation of the Drosophila dorsal pathway.
Tannahill
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Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Wardle
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D051841:Transcription Factor RelB; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D014714:Vertebrates; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics
D017931:DNA Primers; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C099237:REL protein, Xenopus; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C497594:Relb protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C497596:relb protein, Xenopus; D051841:Transcription Factor RelB