title: Xenopus apyrase (xapy), a secreted nucleotidase that is expressed during early development.
abstract: We have characterized a cDNA encoding a Xenopus laevis apyrase (XAPY) that is expressed during embryogenesis. XAPY is highly homologous to two recently described mammalian apyrases, human SCAN-1 and rat Ca2+-NDPase, and to a lesser extent the salivary apyrase of the blood-feeding arthropod Cimex lectularis. RT-PCR analysis shows that Xapy is expressed at all the developmental stages tested, from oocytes through to tadpoles. Xapy transcripts are widely distributed in the embryo, but from late neurulae through to late tailbud stages they are highly enriched in the cement gland, an adhesive organ in the epidermis of the head. When expressed in HEK 293 cells, XAPY is largely retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, although some is also secreted. XAPY conditioned media hydrolyses UDP and UTP, confirming that it is a functional apyrase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Devader
authors.forename: Rachel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Geraint M H
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dale
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001081:Apyrase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001511:Bedbugs / Q000201:enzymology; D002460:Cell Line; D003062:Codon; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D019793:Fluorescein; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009708:Nucleotidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate; D009708:Nucleotidases; C030287:nucleotidase; D001081:Apyrase; D019793:Fluorescein; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate