The project plans to use the developing Xenopus trigeminal ganglion in a screen for factors involved in regulating the migration of the trigeminal nerve, with the hope of discovering new proteins and mechanisms. 1. Develop an assay based on the growth in a collagen matrix of neurites from a Xenopus trigeminal ganglion explant. Neurite growth will be influenced by factors produced by cocultured Xenopus animal caps previously injected with synthetic RNA. 2. Screen for factors with attracting/repellent activity by expression cloning. Proteins expressed by animal caps injected with pools of RNA derived from a cDNA library will be tested in conditions designed to detect soluble or membrane-bound attractors/repellents. 3. Confirm the actual involvement of the cloned factor(s) in controlling the trigeminal nerve growth. A direct effect on the axons will be determined with in vitro assays involving the expression of the cloned factor by transfected cells in culture. In situ hybridization, a cement gland substitution assay, and transgenic embryos with inducible expression will be used to establish an in vivo role.
| Vonica, Alin; Gumbiner, Barry M (2007) The Xenopus Nieuwkoop center and Spemann-Mangold organizer share molecular components and a requirement for maternal Wnt activity. Dev Biol 312:90-102 |
| Vonica, Alin; Brivanlou, Ali H (2007) The left-right axis is regulated by the interplay of Coco, Xnr1 and derriere in Xenopus embryos. Dev Biol 303:281-94 |
| Bell, Esther; Munoz-Sanjuan, Ignacio; Altmann, Curtis R et al. (2003) Cell fate specification and competence by Coco, a maternal BMP, TGFbeta and Wnt inhibitor. Development 130:1381-9 |
| Munoz-Sanjuan, Ignacio; Bell, Esther; Altmann, Curtis R et al. (2002) Gene profiling during neural induction in Xenopus laevis: regulation of BMP signaling by post-transcriptional mechanisms and TAB3, a novel TAK1-binding protein. Development 129:5529-40 |
