The role of FoxC1 in early Xenopus development.
FoxC1 is an important transcription factor in vertebrate development since its mutation in humans results in Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome. In the mouse, disturbance of its function causes congenital hydrocephalus and abnormalities in the development of various mesodermal derivatives. In this report, we provide one mechanistic basis for the requirement for FoxC1 in vertebrate development. We find that, in Xenopus laevis embryos, FoxC1 expression is regulated by the maternal T-box transcription factor VegT, via the nodal sub-family of TGFbeta signaling transducers. We show that at the late neurula to early tailbud stage, FoxC1 depletion causes the down-regulation of adhesion molecules, EP and E cadherin, as well as members of the Ephrin/EphR signaling families in the mesoderm germ layer resulting in the loss of adhesion and apoptosis of mesodermal cells.
Cha
J Y
JY
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Birsoy
B
B
Kofron
M
M
Mahoney
E
E
Lang
S
S
Wylie
C
C
Heasman
J
J
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D036342:Ephrins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005775:Gastrula / Q000196:embryology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D015820:Cadherins; D036342:Ephrins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C103966:VegT protein, Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family