title: The FoxP subclass in Xenopus laevis development.
abstract: We have investigated the sequences and the expression patterns of different members of the Xenopus laevis FoxP gene subfamily during embryogenesis. Low stringency hybridisation of a tadpole cDNA library with an xlFoxP2 fragment led to the isolation of several splice variants of xlFoxP1, xlFoxP2 and xlFoxP4. These variants do not only differ by utilisation of different leader exons, but also by alternative usage of coding exons thereby leading to functional alterations. For xlFoxP1b, we show that insertion of an additional exon disrupts binding to the co-repressor C-terminal binding protein1. Temporal and spatial expression patterns of xlFoxP2 and xlFoxP4 were analysed by RT-PCR and by whole mount in situ hybridisation. xlFoxP2 transcripts are detected from mid-gastrula to late tadpole stages and are found to be localised to pronephros, branchial arches and distinct structures of the hind-, mid- and forebrain, including the ciliary marginal zone of the retina. xlFoxP4 RNA is already present in early cleavage stage embryos and accumulates from midblastula until the end of embryogenesis. Localised expression is found within the anterior neural fold, in the mid- and hindbrain, in the branchial arches as well as in the pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Biochemie, Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schön
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wochnik
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rössner
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donow
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knöchel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012326:RNA Splicing; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; C504437:FoxP1 protein, Xenopus; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins