Biomaterial Database

Two distal-less related homeobox-containing genes expressed in regeneration blastemas of the newt. 1992

M Beauchemin, and P Savard

Unité de recherche en Ontogénèse et Génétique Moléculaire, Centre de recherche du CHU Laval, Sainte-Foy, Canada.

Urodeles, like the newt, are able to replace their limbs and tail following amputation by the formation of a blastema, a mass of proliferating mesenchymal cells originating from the tissue adjacent to the cut surface. As this capacity may involve genetic control, we investigated in adult tissues the expression of genes controlling embryonic development. We screened a newt cDNA library with a redundant oligonucleotide specific to the highly conserved third helix of the DNA-binding domain of homeobox genes. Five classes of cDNA have been isolated. We report the nucleotide sequence and the tissue distribution of two of them, NvHBox-4 and NvHBox-5. The amino acid sequences of both homeodomains are highly homologous (83 and 87% identity) to distal-less, a Drosophila homeobox gene expressed during the development of appendages. NvHBox-4 and NvHBox-5 express respectively 2.8 and 2 kb transcripts. The pattern of expression of both genes is identical in adult tissues of the newt. Polyadenylated transcripts are detectable in the forelimbs, hindlimbs, the tail, flank, and brain as well as in limb and tail blastemas. Analysis of dissected tissue from the hindlimbs indicated that the expression of both genes is restricted to the skin. This work is a first step toward understanding the possible relation between sustained expression of homeobox-containing genes in adult newt tissues and regeneration potential.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D012038	Regeneration	The physiological renewal, repair, or replacement of tissue.	Endogenous Regeneration,Regeneration, Endogenous,Regenerations
D012091	Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid	Sequences of DNA or RNA that occur in multiple copies. There are several types: INTERSPERSED REPETITIVE SEQUENCES are copies of transposable elements (DNA TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENTS or RETROELEMENTS) dispersed throughout the genome. TERMINAL REPEAT SEQUENCES flank both ends of another sequence, for example, the long terminal repeats (LTRs) on RETROVIRUSES. Variations may be direct repeats, those occurring in the same direction, or inverted repeats, those opposite to each other in direction. TANDEM REPEAT SEQUENCES are copies which lie adjacent to each other, direct or inverted (INVERTED REPEAT SEQUENCES).	DNA Repetitious Region,Direct Repeat,Genes, Selfish,Nucleic Acid Repetitive Sequences,Repetitive Region,Selfish DNA,Selfish Genes,DNA, Selfish,Repetitious Region, DNA,Repetitive Sequence,DNA Repetitious Regions,DNAs, Selfish,Direct Repeats,Gene, Selfish,Repeat, Direct,Repeats, Direct,Repetitious Regions, DNA,Repetitive Regions,Repetitive Sequences,Selfish DNAs,Selfish Gene
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D005801	Genes, Homeobox	Genes that encode highly conserved TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS that control positional identity of cells (BODY PATTERNING) and MORPHOGENESIS throughout development. Their sequences contain a 180 nucleotide sequence designated the homeobox, so called because mutations of these genes often results in homeotic transformations, in which one body structure replaces another. The proteins encoded by homeobox genes are called HOMEODOMAIN PROTEINS.	Genes, Homeotic,Homeobox Sequence,Homeotic Genes,Genes, Homeo Box,Homeo Box,Homeo Box Sequence,Homeo Boxes,Homeobox,Homeoboxes,Hox Genes,Sequence, Homeo Box,Gene, Homeo Box,Gene, Homeobox,Gene, Homeotic,Gene, Hox,Genes, Hox,Homeo Box Gene,Homeo Box Genes,Homeo Box Sequences,Homeobox Gene,Homeobox Genes,Homeobox Sequences,Homeotic Gene,Hox Gene,Sequence, Homeobox,Sequences, Homeo Box,Sequences, Homeobox
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D012455	Salamandridae	A family of Urodela consisting of 15 living genera and about 42 species and occurring in North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa.	Newts,Taricha,Newt,Tarichas
D012867	Skin	The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.