title: Xmab21l3 mediates dorsoventral patterning in Xenopus laevis.
abstract: Specification of the dorsoventral (DV) axis is critical for the subsequent differentiation of regional fate in the primary germ layers of the vertebrate embryo. We have identified a novel factor that is essential for dorsal development in embryos of the frog Xenopus laevis. Misexpression of Xenopus mab21-like 3 (Xmab21l3) dorsalizes gastrula-stage mesoderm and neurula-stage ectoderm, while morpholino-mediated knockdown of Xmab21l3 inhibits dorsal differentiation of these embryonic germ layers. Xmab21l3 is a member of a chordate-specific subclass of a recently characterized gene family, all members of which contain a conserved, but as yet ill-defined, Mab21 domain. Our studies suggest that Xmab21l3 functions to repress ventralizing activity in the early vertebrate embryo, via regulation of BMP/Smad and Ras/ERK signaling.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Queens College, and the Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
authors.forename: Jyotsna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sridharan
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haremaki
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Sushma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teegala
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; C579011:MAB21L3 protein, Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins