Characterization of Xenopus Phox2a and Phox2b defines expression domains within the embryonic nervous system and early heart field
Section snippets
Results and discussion
The closely related homeodomain containing genes, Phox2a and Phox2b, are expressed in restricted subsets of central and peripheral progenitors and neurons in species ranging from fish to humans (Amiel et al., 2003, Guo et al., 1999, Pattyn et al., 1997, Tiveron et al., 1996). Both gain and loss of function assays suggest that Phox2a and Phox2b homeodomain containing molecules are important regulators of vertebrate neuronal specification and differentiation (for review, Brunet and Pattyn, 2002).
Characterization of Xphox2a, Xphox2a.2 and Xphox2b
The Xphox2a.2 cDNA was identified in a screen of the Xenopus TIGR database (The Institute for Genome Research; http://www.tigr.org/tdb/tgi/) using murine Phox2a sequences. This clone was obtained via the I.M.A.G.E. Consortium (ID# 3438199; http://image.llnl.gov). The Xphox2a cDNA was isolated in a screen of a Stage 27 head library (Hemmati-Brivanlou et al., 1990) using the Xphox2a.2 cDNA as a probe. The Xphox2b clone was identified in a functional expression screen using an early gastrula stage
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by NIH grant RO1 HD32968 (K.Z.) and RO1 HD32105 (A.H.B). K.Z. also gratefully acknowledges the generous support and encouragement of Dr Mary E. Hatten.
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