title: Xenopus Xenf: an early endodermal nuclear factor that is regulated in a pathway distinct from Sox17 and Mix-related gene pathways.
abstract: We report a novel zygotic gene encoding a Xenopus endodermal nuclear factor, Xenf. Expression of Xenf starts at the late blastula stages and is decreased after gastrulation. Xenf shows no structural homology to any known proteins. When GFP-tagged Xenf is overexpressed in Xenopus cells, Xenf protein is localized to the nucleus, associating closely with the chromosomes. In animal cap assays, Xenf expression is strongly activated by mRNA injection of Vg1 and VegT, maternal vegetal genes that can induce endodermal differentiation. In contrast, Xenf is not induced by endoderm-inducing zygotic transcription factors such as Sox17 and Mix-related genes. In turn, Xenf does not activate expression of Sox17, Mixer or Milk. Thus, Xenf is regulated by maternal vegetal positional information in a parallel manner to Sox17 and Mix-related gene pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuseki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasai
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004707:Endoderm; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010453:Peptide Synthases; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D030162:Reptilian Proteins; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors; D013347:Subcellular Fractions; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D015053:Zygote
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C513103:GDF1 protein, Xenopus; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D030162:Reptilian Proteins; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C103966:VegT protein, Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C405705:mixer protein, Xenopus; C087438:phospholipase A2 inhibitor protein, Crotalus; C491602:sox17a protein, Xenopus; C491601:sox17b.1 protein, Xenopus; C117617:UBR5 protein, human; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D010453:Peptide Synthases