Developmental expression of the fermitin/kindlin gene family in Xenopus laevis embryos

Dev Dyn. 2011 Aug;240(8):1958-63. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.22683.

Abstract

Fermitin genes are highly conserved and encode cytocortex proteins that mediate integrin signalling. Fermitin 1 (Kindlin1) is implicated in Kindler syndrome, a human skin blistering disorder. We report the isolation of the three Fermitin orthologs from Xenopus laevis embryos and describe their developmental expression patterns. Fermitin 1 is expressed in the skin, otic and olfactory placodes, pharyngeal arches, pronephric duct, and heart. Fermitin 2 is restricted to the somites and neural crest. Fermitin 3 is expressed in the notochord, central nervous system, cement gland, ventral blood islands, vitelline veins, and myeloid cells. Our findings are consistent with the view that Fermitin 1 is generally expressed in the skin, Fermitin 2 in muscle, and Fermitin 3 in hematopoietic lineages. Moreover, we describe novel sites of Fermitin gene expression that extend our knowledge of this family. Our data provide a basis for further functional analysis of the Fermitin family in Xenopus laevis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / anatomy & histology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Xenopus Proteins / genetics
  • Xenopus Proteins / metabolism*
  • Xenopus laevis / anatomy & histology
  • Xenopus laevis / embryology*
  • Xenopus laevis / genetics*
  • Xenopus laevis / metabolism*

Substances

  • FERMT1 protein, Xenopus
  • FERMT1 protein, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Xenopus Proteins
  • fermt2 protein, Xenopus
  • fermt3 protein, Xenopus