Biomaterial Database

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of dystroglycan during Xenopus laevis embryogenesis. 2002

Andrea Lunardi, and Luciana Dente

Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Biochimica, Sezione di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, University of Pisa, Via G. Carducci 13, Ghezzano, Pisa 56010, Italy.

Dystroglycan is a transmembrane receptor protein that provides a structural linkage between extracellular matrix components and cytoskeletal proteins. It was originally characterized as a member of dystrophin associated protein complex in muscle but, unlike other proteins of this complex, mutations in the dystroglycan gene have not been implicated as a cause of muscular dystrophies. Indeed, dystroglycan is an essential gene, expressed early in development that, if removed in knockout mice, provokes lethal defects before the onset of myogenesis. Dystroglycan is synthesized as a precursor propeptide that is post-translationally cleaved and glycosylated to yield alpha and beta subunits. We have cloned and characterized a cDNA clone, containing the complete coding region of the dystroglycan precursor, from a Xenopus laevis cDNA library. We have performed a spatial and temporal analysis of its expression in X. laevis embryos, using whole-mount in situ hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Early expression of dystroglycan in a variety of tissues of different embryological derivation suggests a crucial role in morphogenetic events, especially during central nervous system differentiation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008562	Membrane Glycoproteins	Glycoproteins found on the membrane or surface of cells.	Cell Surface Glycoproteins,Surface Glycoproteins,Cell Surface Glycoprotein,Membrane Glycoprotein,Surface Glycoprotein,Glycoprotein, Cell Surface,Glycoprotein, Membrane,Glycoprotein, Surface,Glycoproteins, Cell Surface,Glycoproteins, Membrane,Glycoproteins, Surface,Surface Glycoprotein, Cell,Surface Glycoproteins, Cell
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
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D003598	Cytoskeletal Proteins	Major constituent of the cytoskeleton found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. They form a flexible framework for the cell, provide attachment points for organelles and formed bodies, and make communication between parts of the cell possible.	Proteins, Cytoskeletal
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
D014982	Xenopus laevis	The commonest and widest ranging species of the clawed "frog" (Xenopus) in Africa. This species is used extensively in research. There is now a significant population in California derived from escaped laboratory animals.	Platanna,X. laevis,Platannas,X. laevi
D049030	Dystroglycans	Dystrophin-associated proteins that play role in the formation of a transmembrane link between laminin-2 and DYSTROPHIN. Both the alpha and the beta subtypes of dystroglycan originate via POST-TRANSLATIONAL PROTEIN PROCESSING of a single precursor protein.	Dystroglycan,Cranin,Dystroglycan 1,Dystrophin-Associated Glycoprotein 1,alpha-Dystroglycan,beta-Dystroglycan,Dystrophin Associated Glycoprotein 1,alpha Dystroglycan,beta Dystroglycan