Biomaterial Database

Expression of an engrailed-like gene during development of the early embryonic chick nervous system. 1988

C A Gardner, and D K Darnell, and S J Poole, and C P Ordahl, and K F Barald

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.

The engrailed gene has been identified in Drosophila as an important developmental gene involved in the control of segmentation. Here we describe the embryonic expression of a chicken gene, ChickEn (Darnell et al.: J Cell Biol 103(5):311a, 1986), which contains homology to the Drosophila engrailed gene. Northern blots of early chick embryo tissue poly(A)+ RNA resulted in hybridization to at least three bands expressed predominantly in the brain/head region when probed with ChickEn genomic fragments. Eight cDNA clones generated from embryonic day 6 (stage 29-30) chick brain poly(A)+ RNA are identical in their nucleotide sequence with the ChickEn genomic clone. In situ hybridization to sections of 4-day (stage 24) embryos indicated that ChickEn transcripts were concentrated in the posterior mesencephalon and anterior metencephalon. In cultures of chick cranial neural crest cells (eight to nine somites; stage 9) ChickEn transcripts were localized in a subset (approx. 8%) of cells examined after 2 days in culture. A mouse monoclonal antibody, inv-4D9D4, made by Coleman and Kornberg recognizes the engrailed-like homeo domain of the engrailed and invected proteins (Martin-Blanco, Coleman, and Kornberg, personal communication). Patel, Coleman, Kornberg and Goodman (unpublished) have shown that this antibody binds to the hindbrain of 2-day-old chick embryos. We have confirmed these results and shown that this antibody binds to the same region of 4-day (stage 24) chick brains that in situ hybridization showed contained ChickEn transcripts. This antibody also recognizes a homeo domain-containing ChickEn peptide expressed as a beta-galactosidase fusion protein in Drosophila cell culture. We have not detected ChickEn protein in any tissue prior to eight to nine somites (stage 9). These results delineate the major expression pattern of the ChickEn gene during early (prior to stage 30) embryonic development in the chick.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009432	Neural Crest	The two longitudinal ridges along the PRIMITIVE STREAK appearing near the end of GASTRULATION during development of nervous system (NEURULATION). The ridges are formed by folding of NEURAL PLATE. Between the ridges is a neural groove which deepens as the fold become elevated. When the folds meet at midline, the groove becomes a closed tube, the NEURAL TUBE.	Neural Crest Cells,Neural Fold,Neural Groove,Cell, Neural Crest,Cells, Neural Crest,Crest, Neural,Crests, Neural,Fold, Neural,Folds, Neural,Groove, Neural,Grooves, Neural,Neural Crest Cell,Neural Crests,Neural Folds,Neural Grooves
D009693	Nucleic Acid Hybridization	Widely used technique which exploits the ability of complementary sequences in single-stranded DNAs or RNAs to pair with each other to form a double helix. Hybridization can take place between two complimentary DNA sequences, between a single-stranded DNA and a complementary RNA, or between two RNA sequences. The technique is used to detect and isolate specific sequences, measure homology, or define other characteristics of one or both strands. (Kendrew, Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, 1994, p503)	Genomic Hybridization,Acid Hybridization, Nucleic,Acid Hybridizations, Nucleic,Genomic Hybridizations,Hybridization, Genomic,Hybridization, Nucleic Acid,Hybridizations, Genomic,Hybridizations, Nucleic Acid,Nucleic Acid Hybridizations
D002642	Chick Embryo	The developmental entity of a fertilized chicken egg (ZYGOTE). The developmental process begins about 24 h before the egg is laid at the BLASTODISC, a small whitish spot on the surface of the EGG YOLK. After 21 days of incubation, the embryo is fully developed before hatching.	Embryo, Chick,Chick Embryos,Embryos, Chick
D002874	Chromosome Mapping	Any method used for determining the location of and relative distances between genes on a chromosome.	Gene Mapping,Linkage Mapping,Genome Mapping,Chromosome Mappings,Gene Mappings,Genome Mappings,Linkage Mappings,Mapping, Chromosome,Mapping, Gene,Mapping, Genome,Mapping, Linkage,Mappings, Chromosome,Mappings, Gene,Mappings, Genome,Mappings, Linkage
D005314	Embryonic and Fetal Development	Morphological and physiological development of EMBRYOS or FETUSES.	Embryo and Fetal Development,Prenatal Programming,Programming, Prenatal
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D005796	Genes	A category of nucleic acid sequences that function as units of heredity and which code for the basic instructions for the development, reproduction, and maintenance of organisms.	Cistron,Gene,Genetic Materials,Cistrons,Genetic Material,Material, Genetic,Materials, Genetic
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
D012313	RNA	A polynucleotide consisting essentially of chains with a repeating backbone of phosphate and ribose units to which nitrogenous bases are attached. RNA is unique among biological macromolecules in that it can encode genetic information, serve as an abundant structural component of cells, and also possesses catalytic activity. (Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed)	RNA, Non-Polyadenylated,Ribonucleic Acid,Gene Products, RNA,Non-Polyadenylated RNA,Acid, Ribonucleic,Non Polyadenylated RNA,RNA Gene Products,RNA, Non Polyadenylated
D050437	Genes, Developmental	Genes that determine the fate of a cell or CELLS in a region of the embryo during EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT.	Developmental Genes,Developmental Gene,Gene, Developmental