title: Gradual refinement of activin-induced thresholds requires protein synthesis.
abstract: Activin induces the expression of different genes in a concentration-dependent manner. In this paper, we show that the initial response of cells to activin, whether assayed in dispersed cells or in a bead-implantation regime in intact animal caps, is to activate expression of both Xbra and goosecoid. However, differential expression of the two genes, with down-regulation of Xbra, occurs very rapidly and certainly within 3 h of the initial phase of expression. This rapid refinement of gene expression can occur in dispersed cells and thus does not require cell-cell interactions. Refinement of gene expression does, however, require protein synthesis but not goosecoid function. Together, our results place the burden of threshold formation not on the initial induction of different genes but on regulatory interactions between the genes once they have been activated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papin
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051956:Goosecoid Protein; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007265:Inhibins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014981:Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D051956:Goosecoid Protein; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; C116765:TBXT protein, Xenopus; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins