The Xenopus homeo boxes

Differential utilization of the same reading frame in a Xenopus homeobox gene encodes two related proteins sharing the same DNA-binding specificity

Xenopus XlHbox 1 produces two transcripts during early development. One encodes a long open reading frame (ORF) and the other a short ORF sharing the same homeodomain, but differing by an 82 amino acid domain at the amino terminus. The long protein amino terminus is conserved with many other homeodomain proteins, and its absence from the short protein could have functional consequences. Some viral genes also utilize a single ORF to encode transcription factors of antagonistic functions. The overall organization of the homologous genes in frog and man is similar, supporting the notion that both transcripts are of functional significance. Studies on XlHbox 1 function show that the region common to the long and short proteins has a sequence-specific DNA-binding activity, and that microinjection of specific antibodies into embryos results in the loss of structures derived from cells normally expressing XlHbox 1.

Xenopus homeobox-containing cDNAs expressed in early development

We report the isolation of six different homeobox-containing genes in Xenopus laevis which are expressed during early embryogenesis. cDNA clones of all of them were partially sequenced including two from previously isolated Xenopus genomic loci and found to contain homeodomains which share a high degree of homology with the Antennapedia protein (50 to 59 out of 60 amino acids). We find a short region of homology (consensus Ile Tyr Pro Trp Met) in four of the cDNAs, which is also present in Antennapedia and that may correspond to a bend region preceding the homeodomain. Northern blots have been performed to show the transcriptional pattern through early frog embryogenesis. Three of the genes are expressed only during a very narrow period of embryogenesis, reinforcing the view that homeobox genes are developmentally regulated.