Coordination of BMP-3b and cerberus is required for head formation of Xenopus embryos.
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and their antagonists are involved in the axial patterning of vertebrate embryos. We report that both BMP-3b and BMP-3 dorsalize Xenopus embryos, but act as dissimilar antagonists within the BMP family. BMP-3b injected into Xenopus embryos triggered secondary head formation in an autonomous manner, whereas BMP-3 induced aberrant tail formation. At the molecular level, BMP-3b antagonized nodal-like proteins and ventralizing BMPs, whereas BMP-3 antagonized only the latter. These differences are due to divergence of their pro-domains. Less BMP-3b than BMP-3 precursor is proteolytically processed in embryos. BMP-3b protein associated with a monomeric form of Xnrl, a nodal-like protein, whereas BMP-3 did not. These molecular features are consistent with their expression profiles during Xenopus development. XBMP-3b is expressed in the prechordal plate, while xBMP-3 is expressed in the notochord. Using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides, we found that the depletion of both xBMP-3b and cerberus, a head inducer, caused headless Xenopus embryos, whereas the depletion of both xBMP-3 and cerberus affected the size of the somite. These results revealed that xBMP-3b and cerberus are essential for head formation regulated by the Spemann organizer, and that xBMP-3b and perhaps xBMP-3 are involved in the axial patterning of Xenopus embryos.
Hino
Jun
J
Department of Biochemistry, National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Osaka 565-8565, Japan.
Nishimatsu
Shin-ichiro
S
Nagai
Takeharu
T
Matsuo
Hisayuki
H
Kangawa
Kenji
K
Nohno
Tsutomu
T
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000187:drug effects; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055398:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 3; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002678:Chimera / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D006224:Cricetinae; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055398:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 3; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D011506:Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C100866:cer1 protein, Xenopus