A Xenopus homologue of aml-1 reveals unexpected patterning mechanisms leading to the formation of embryonic blood.
The Runt domain gene AML1 is essential for definitive hematopoiesis during murine embryogenesis. We have isolated Xaml, a Xenopus AML1 homologue in order to investigate the patterning mechanisms responsible for the generation of hematopoietic precursors. Xaml is expressed early in the developing ventral blood island in a pattern that anticipates that of later globin. Analysis of globin and Xaml expression in explants, in embryos with perturbed dorsal ventral patterning, and by lineage tracing indicates that the formation of the ventral blood island is more complex than previously thought and involves contributions from both dorsal and ventral tissues. A truncated Xaml protein interferes with primitive hematopoiesis. Based on these results, we propose that Runt domain proteins function in the specification of hematopoietic stem cells in vertebrate embryos.
Tracey
W D
WD
Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA.
Pepling
M E
ME
Horb
M E
ME
Thomsen
G H
GH
Gergen
J P
JP
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001790:Blood Physiological Phenomena; D019521:Body Patterning; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005914:Globins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C112503:RUNX1 protein, Xenopus; C493728:RUNX1 protein, human; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D005914:Globins