Molecular cloning and developmental expression of two Chloride Intracellular Channel (CLIC) genes in Xenopus laevis.
CLIC proteins are components or regulators of novel intracellular anion channels in mammalian cells, and previous studies have suggested that human nuclear membrane-associated CLIC1 and mouse inner mitochondrial membrane CLIC4 are involved in cell division and apoptosis. We have isolated Xenopus homologues of CLIC1 and CLIC4 and shown them to be well conserved during chordate evolution, but poorly conserved in invertebrates. Consistent with fundamental cellular roles, Xenopus CLIC genes are expressed at every stage of embryonic development. Expression is localised to mesodermal and ectodermal tissues, with particularly marked expression of xCLIC4 in the developing nervous system. This is the first description of non-mammalian CLIC expression, and use of Xenopus laevis as a model organism may provide insights into the role of CLIC-associated ion channels in animal development.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*
C501968:CLIC1 protein, Xenopus; C501966:CLIC1 protein, human; D018118:Chloride Channels; C501967:Clic1 protein, mouse; D017931:DNA Primers