Biomaterial Database

Thyroid hormone-induced gene expression program for amphibian tail resorption. 1993

Z Wang, and D D Brown

Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Baltimore, MD 21210.

The changes in gene expression leading to tail resorption that are initiated by thyroid hormone (TH) were studied in Xenopus laevis. Four of the less than 10 genes that are down-regulated during this period have been isolated; their mRNAs decay with identical kinetics. Twenty of the approximately 35 genes that are up-regulated in the first 48 h have been isolated. The up-regulated genes fall into two kinetic patterns. After a lag of several hours, the direct response genes (including thyroid hormone receptor beta) increase their mRNA level steadily for 24-48 h. The delayed genes respond mainly in the second 24 h after TH addition. The importance of these genes for tail resorption is supported by the fact that they are all regulated developmentally during normal metamorphosis in tail and respond to hormone induction when the tail becomes competent to respond to TH. The relatively simple gene expression program leading to tail resorption is contrasted with the complex and multiple periods of gene expression during limb development. The gene expression screen defines the tail resorption program and has isolated the majority of TH-regulated genes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008675	Metamorphosis, Biological	Profound physical changes during maturation of living organisms from the immature forms to the adult forms, such as from TADPOLES to frogs; caterpillars to BUTTERFLIES.	Biological Metamorphosis,Biological Metamorphoses,Metamorphoses, Biological
D009928	Organ Specificity	Characteristic restricted to a particular organ of the body, such as a cell type, metabolic response or expression of a particular protein or antigen.	Tissue Specificity,Organ Specificities,Specificities, Organ,Specificities, Tissue,Specificity, Organ,Specificity, Tissue,Tissue Specificities
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
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
D013623	Tail	An extension of the posterior of an animal body beyond the TORSO.	Tails
D013963	Thyroid Hormones	Natural hormones secreted by the THYROID GLAND, such as THYROXINE, and their synthetic analogs.	Thyroid Hormone,Hormone, Thyroid,Hormones, Thyroid
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
D015139	Blotting, Southern	A method (first developed by E.M. Southern) for detection of DNA that has been electrophoretically separated and immobilized by blotting on nitrocellulose or other type of paper or nylon membrane followed by hybridization with labeled NUCLEIC ACID PROBES.	Southern Blotting,Blot, Southern,Southern Blot
D015152	Blotting, Northern	Detection of RNA that has been electrophoretically separated and immobilized by blotting on nitrocellulose or other type of paper or nylon membrane followed by hybridization with labeled NUCLEIC ACID PROBES.	Northern Blotting,Blot, Northern,Northern Blot,Blots, Northern,Blottings, Northern,Northern Blots,Northern Blottings