Biomaterial Database

Epidermal induction and inhibition of neural fate by translation initiation factor 4AIII. 1997

D C Weinstein, and E Honoré, and A Hemmati-Brivanlou

Department of Vertebrate Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 (BMP-4) is a potent epidermal inducer and inhibitor of neural fate. We have used differential screening to identify genes involved in epidermal induction downstream of BMP-4 and report here evidence of a novel translational mechanism that regulates the division of the vertebrate ectoderm into regions of neural and epidermal fate. In dissociated Xenopus ectoderm, addition of ectopic BMP-4 leads to an increase in the expression of translation initiation factor 4AIII (eIF-4AIII), a divergent member of the eIF-4A gene family until now characterized only in plants. In the gastrula embryo, Xenopus eIF-4AIII (XeIF-4AIII) expression is elevated in the ventral ectoderm, a site of active BMP signal transduction. Moreover, overexpression of XeIF-4AIII induces epidermis in dissociated cells that would otherwise adopt a neural fate, mimicking the effects of BMP-4. Epidermal induction by XeIF-4AIII requires both an active BMP signaling pathway and an extracellular intermediate. Our results suggest that XeIF-4AIII can regulate changes in cell fate through selective mRNA translation. We propose that BMPs and XeIF-4AIII interact through a positive feedback loop in the ventral ectoderm of the vertebrate gastrula.

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
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D010448	Peptide Initiation Factors	Protein factors uniquely required during the initiation phase of protein synthesis in GENETIC TRANSLATION.	Initiation Factors,Initiation Factor,Factors, Peptide Initiation,Initiation Factors, Peptide
D011956	Receptors, Cell Surface	Cell surface proteins that bind signalling molecules external to the cell with high affinity and convert this extracellular event into one or more intracellular signals that alter the behavior of the target cell (From Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2nd ed, pp693-5). Cell surface receptors, unlike enzymes, do not chemically alter their ligands.	Cell Surface Receptor,Cell Surface Receptors,Hormone Receptors, Cell Surface,Receptors, Endogenous Substances,Cell Surface Hormone Receptors,Endogenous Substances Receptors,Receptor, Cell Surface,Surface Receptor, Cell
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
D004475	Ectoderm	The outer of the three germ layers of an embryo.	Apical Ectodermal Ridge,Apical Ectodermal Ridges,Ectodermal Ridge, Apical,Ectoderms
D004625	Embryo, Nonmammalian	The developmental entity of a fertilized egg (ZYGOTE) in animal species other than MAMMALS. For chickens, use CHICK EMBRYO.	Embryonic Structures, Nonmammalian,Embryo, Non-Mammalian,Embryonic Structures, Non-Mammalian,Nonmammalian Embryo,Nonmammalian Embryo Structures,Nonmammalian Embryonic Structures,Embryo Structure, Nonmammalian,Embryo Structures, Nonmammalian,Embryo, Non Mammalian,Embryonic Structure, Non-Mammalian,Embryonic Structure, Nonmammalian,Embryonic Structures, Non Mammalian,Embryos, Non-Mammalian,Embryos, Nonmammalian,Non-Mammalian Embryo,Non-Mammalian Embryonic Structure,Non-Mammalian Embryonic Structures,Non-Mammalian Embryos,Nonmammalian Embryo Structure,Nonmammalian Embryonic Structure,Nonmammalian Embryos,Structure, Non-Mammalian Embryonic,Structure, Nonmammalian Embryo,Structure, Nonmammalian Embryonic,Structures, Non-Mammalian Embryonic,Structures, Nonmammalian Embryo,Structures, Nonmammalian Embryonic
D004627	Embryonic Induction	The complex processes of initiating CELL DIFFERENTIATION in the embryo. The precise regulation by cell interactions leads to diversity of cell types and specific pattern of organization (EMBRYOGENESIS).	Embryonic Inductions,Induction, Embryonic,Inductions, Embryonic
D004817	Epidermis	The external, nonvascular layer of the skin. It is made up, from within outward, of five layers of EPITHELIUM: (1) basal layer (stratum basale epidermidis); (2) spinous layer (stratum spinosum epidermidis); (3) granular layer (stratum granulosum epidermidis); (4) clear layer (stratum lucidum epidermidis); and (5) horny layer (stratum corneum epidermidis).
D005775	Gastrula	The developmental stage that follows BLASTULA or BLASTOCYST. It is characterized by the morphogenetic cell movements including invagination, ingression, and involution. Gastrulation begins with the formation of the PRIMITIVE STREAK, and ends with the formation of three GERM LAYERS, the body plan of the mature organism.	Archenteron,Blastopore,Gastrocoele,Primitive Gut,Archenterons,Blastopores,Gastrocoeles,Gastrulas,Gut, Primitive,Guts, Primitive,Primitive Guts