title: Developmental expression of the fermitin/kindlin gene family in Xenopus laevis embryos.
abstract: Fermitin genes are highly conserved and encode cytocortex proteins that mediate integrin signalling. Fermitin 1 (Kindlin1) is implicated in Kindler syndrome, a human skin blistering disorder. We report the isolation of the three Fermitin orthologs from Xenopus laevis embryos and describe their developmental expression patterns. Fermitin 1 is expressed in the skin, otic and olfactory placodes, pharyngeal arches, pronephric duct, and heart. Fermitin 2 is restricted to the somites and neural crest. Fermitin 3 is expressed in the notochord, central nervous system, cement gland, ventral blood islands, vitelline veins, and myeloid cells. Our findings are consistent with the view that Fermitin 1 is generally expressed in the skin, Fermitin 2 in muscle, and Fermitin 3 in hematopoietic lineages. Moreover, we describe novel sites of Fermitin gene expression that extend our knowledge of this family. Our data provide a basis for further functional analysis of the Fermitin family in Xenopus laevis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, A*STAR, Singapore. claire.canning@imb.a-star.edu.sg
authors.forename: Claire A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Canning
authors.forename: Jessica Sze Ki
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: John E A
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Common
authors.forename: E Birgitte
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: C Michael
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C568406:FERMT1 protein, Xenopus; C475301:FERMT1 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C568407:fermt2 protein, Xenopus; C568408:fermt3 protein, Xenopus