title: Spemann organizer activity of Smad10.
abstract: The Spemann organizer induces neural tissue, dorsalizes mesoderm and generates a second dorsal axis. We report the isolation and characterization of Smad10, which has all three of these Spemann activities. Smad10 is expressed at the appropriate time to transduce Spemann signals endogenously. Like the organizer, Smad10 generates anterior and posterior neural tissues. Smad10 appears to function downstream of the Spemann organizer, consistent with a role in mediating organizer-derived signals. Interestingly, Smad10, unlike previously characterized mediators of Spemann activity, does not appear to block BMP signals. This finding, coupled with the functional activity and expression profile, suggests that Smad10 mediates Spemann action in a novel manner.
authors.affiliation: Center for Developmental Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, NB 5.208, Dallas, TX 75235-9133, USA. graff02@utsw.swmed.edu.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: LeSueur
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Graff
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004627:Embryonic Induction / Q000502:physiology*; D018628:Gene Dosage; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008648:Mesoderm; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051785:Smad Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011506:Proteins; D051785:Smad Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C525812:bmp4 protein, Xenopus; C100866:cer1 protein, Xenopus; C117263:smad4.2 protein, Xenopus