An interferon regulatory factor-related gene (xIRF-6) is expressed in the posterior mesoderm during the early development of Xenopus laevis.
Out of a Xenopus neurula cDNA library, we isolated a clone which encodes a 52.4-kDa protein highly similar to the mouse interferon regulatory factor, IRF-6, whose function is unknown. The mRNA of this gene, named xIRF-6, seems to be maternally transmitted, but its amount rapidly decreases after the tailbud stage. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that xIRF-6 mRNA is expressed in the presumptive somitic mesoderm in the late gastrula, and then confined to a segment of posterior somite during the neurula through the tailbud stage. The temporally and spatially limited expression of the xIRF-6 gene product may contribute to the transcriptional regulation of specific genes which are necessary for the development of the posterior somites.
Hatada
S
S
Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Kinoshita
M
M
Takahashi
S
S
Nishihara
R
R
Sakumoto
H
H
Fukui
A
A
Noda
M
M
Asashima
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism*; D005775:Gastrula / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C491656:IRF6 protein, Xenopus; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins