spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Torpey, N. P.
Right arrow Articles by Wylie, C. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Torpey, N. P.
Right arrow Articles by Wylie, C. C.

Journal of Cell Science, Vol 101, Issue 1 151-160, Copyright © 1992 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Distinct distribution of vimentin and cytokeratin in Xenopus oocytes and early embryos

NP Torpey, J Heasman and CC Wylie
Wellcome Trust, University of Cambridge, UK.

We report the identity of a major component of Triton-insoluble extracts from Xenopus oocytes and early embryos. In a previous paper we showed that an antibody, Z9, cross-reacts with two polypeptides from such extracts (Mr 56,000 and 57,000) as well as Xenopus vimentin. Direct microsequencing of the Mr 57,000 protein shows near identity of three tryptic fragments with regions of the predicted amino acid sequence of XCK1(8), a basic cytokeratin whose mRNA is known to be expressed in Xenopus oocytes. We have raised an antibody, CK7, against a fusion protein generated from this cDNA. The specificity of this antibody has been tested using 1- and 2-dimensional immunoblotting, which show that it is specific for the Mr 56,000 and 57,000 proteins, suggesting that these two proteins may be the products of two non-allelic XCK1(8) genes. The antibody does not cross-react with vimentin. We have used CK7 to follow the distribution of XCK1(8) throughout development by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. In larval stages, strong staining is seen in the notocord, the apical epithelia of the gut, the mesentery, and a few cells in the spinal cord. In oocytes and early embryos, two distinct intermediate filament (IF) networks can be distinguished: a cortical cytokeratin network, and a deeper vimentin one. In addition, the oocyte germ plasm stains with Z9 but not CK7. We propose that such distinct distributions of each IF protein reflect functional differences during early development.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
D. Houston, J Zhang, J. Maines, S. Wasserman, and M. King
A Xenopus DAZ-like gene encodes an RNA component of germ plasm and is a functional homologue of Drosophila boule
Development, January 1, 1998; 125(2): 171 - 180.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
F Fagotto and B. Gumbiner
Beta-catenin localization during Xenopus embryogenesis: accumulation at tissue and somite boundaries
Development, January 12, 1994; 120(12): 3667 - 3679.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
J Heasman, D Ginsberg, B Geiger, K Goldstone, T Pratt, C Yoshida-Noro, and C Wylie
A functional test for maternally inherited cadherin in Xenopus shows its importance in cell adhesion at the blastula stage
Development, January 1, 1994; 120(1): 49 - 57.
[Abstract] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1992