Abstract
Otx2, a vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila orthodenticle gene, coordinates two processes in early embryonic development. Not only does it specify cell fate in the anterior regions of the embryo, it also prevents the cells that express it from participating in the convergence extension movements that shape the rest of the body axis. Here we show that, in Xenopus, this latter function is mediated by XclpH3, transcription of which is directly stimulated by Xotx2. XclpH3 is a Xenopus homologue of the mammalian calponin gene, the product of which binds both actin and myosin and prevents the generation of contractile force by actin filaments.
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Acknowledgements
We thank the EU training and mobility of researchers programme and the EU Biotech programme for supporting this research.
Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to R.M. The XclpH3 cDNA sequence has been deposited at GenBank under accession number AF081576.
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Morgan, R., Hooiveld, M., Pannese, M. et al. Calponin modulates the exclusion of Otx-expressing cells from convergence extension movements. Nat Cell Biol 1, 404–408 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/15635
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/15635