title: The isolation and characterization of XC3H-3b: a CCCH zinc-finger protein required for pronephros development.
abstract: We describe the isolation and characterization of the RNA-binding protein XC3H-3b that is expressed during pronephros development. XC3H-3b is a member of the TTP/TIS family of CCCH tandem zinc-finger proteins, which are physiological stimulators of instability for the mRNA encoding tumor necrosis factor-alpha in certain cell types. XC3H-3b is localized primarily to the mesodermal tissues around the pronephros. Overexpression of XC3H-3b markedly and specifically inhibits kidney development. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of XC3H-3b also results in defects in nephrogenesis. In both cases, the expression of numerous pronephric marker genes, such as Xlim-1, Xpax-2, Xpax-8, Xwnt-4, and XWT1, is decreased and morphological development of the pronephric tubules is abrogated. We conclude that XC3H-3b plays an important role in the regulation of pronephros differentiation. This is the first report of a gene localized around the pronephros that regulates pronephros development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Techuan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Satow
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asashima
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D007668:Kidney / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C477440:ZFP36L2 protein, Xenopus