Ypel1: a novel nuclear protein that induces an epithelial-like morphology in fibroblasts.
BACKGROUND
Embryonic development depends on the regulation of cell morphology and behaviour to carry out morphogenesis. One example of this is the development of the face, which is constructed from independent blocks of tissue that must grow in a coordinated way and then fuse to form a continuous tissue.


RESULTS
We have isolated a novel gene of unknown function from mouse and quail embryos in a search for genes involved in craniofacial development. Sequence analysis of this gene, known as Ypel1, demonstrates a striking level of amino acid conservation between vertebrates and invertebrates but no significant homology with any other characterized genes. Ypel1 is expressed in the ventral half of early embryos including the branchial arches from which the face derives. Ypel1 localizes to the nucleus, and transfection into fibroblasts induces an epithelial-like transition, which is accompanied by alterations to the cytoskeleton and cell adhesion machinery. In addition, human YPEL1 localizes to chromosome 22q11.2, a region associated with a number of syndromes involving malformation of the craniofacial complex.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest a role in regulation of cellular morphology and behaviour that is important for development of the craniofacial complex.
Farlie
P
P
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia. farliep@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au
Reid
C
C
Wilcox
S
S
Peeters
J
J
Reed
G
G
Newgreen
D
D
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005145:Face / Q000196:embryology*; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000196:embryology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D011784:Quail / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C436743:Ypel1 protein, mouse