Expression and functional characterization of Xhmg-at-hook genes in Xenopus laevis.
High Mobility Group A proteins (HMGA1 and HMGA2) are architectural nuclear factors involved in development, cell differentiation, and cancer formation and progression. Here we report the cloning, developmental expression and functional analysis of a new multi-AT-hook factor in Xenopus laevis (XHMG-AT-hook) that exists in three different isoforms. Xhmg-at-hook1 and 3 isoforms, but not isoform 2, are expressed throughout the entire development of Xenopus, both in the maternal and zygotic phase. Localized transcripts are present in the animal pole in the early maternal phase; during the zygotic phase, mRNA can be detected in the developing central nervous system (CNS), including the eye, and in the neural crest. We show evidence that XHMG-AT-hook proteins differ from typical HMGA proteins in terms of their properties in DNA binding and in protein/protein interaction. Finally, we provide evidence that they are involved in early CNS development and in neural crest differentiation.
Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Simone
S
Macrì
Riccardo
R
Sgarra
Gloria
G
Ros
Elisa
E
Maurizio
Salvina
S
Zammitti
Ornella
O
Milani
Marco
M
Onorati
Robert
R
Vignali
Guidalberto
G
Manfioletti
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005123:Eye / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015053:Zygote / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger