title: Tumorhead, a Xenopus gene product that inhibits neural differentiation through regulation of proliferation.
abstract: Tumorhead (TH) is a novel maternal gene product from Xenopus laevis containing several basic domains and a weak coiled-coil. Overexpression of wild-type TH resulted in increased proliferation of neural plate cells, causing expansion of the neural field followed by neural tube and craniofacial abnormalities. Overexpressed TH protein repressed neural differentiation and neural crest markers, but did not inhibit the neural inducers, pan-neural markers or mesodermal markers. Loss of function by injection of anti-TH antibody inhibited cell proliferation. Our data are consistent with a model in which tumorhead functions in regulating differentiation of the neural tissues but not neural induction or determination through its effect on cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Etkin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000502:physiology; D004707:Endoderm / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005855:Germ Layers / Q000502:physiology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D024002:HMGB Proteins; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000494:pharmacology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000099176:Noggin Protein
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D024002:HMGB Proteins; D006918:Hydroxyurea; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D000099176:Noggin Protein; C527781:sox2 protein, Xenopus; C437083:trhd protein, Xenopus; C054234:chordin