Hartman Institute for Therapeutic Organ Regeneration

The Xenopus GATA-4/5/6 genes are associated with cardiac specification and can regulate cardiac-specific transcription during embryogenesis.

TitleThe Xenopus GATA-4/5/6 genes are associated with cardiac specification and can regulate cardiac-specific transcription during embryogenesis.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1996
AuthorsJiang Y, Evans T
JournalDev Biol
Volume174
Issue2
Pagination258-70
Date Published1996 Mar 15
ISSN0012-1606
KeywordsAmino Acid Sequence, Animals, Base Sequence, Conserved Sequence, DNA Primers, DNA, Complementary, DNA-Binding Proteins, GATA4 Transcription Factor, GATA5 Transcription Factor, GATA6 Transcription Factor, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Heart, Molecular Sequence Data, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid, Transcription Factors, Transcription, Genetic, Xenopus, Xenopus Proteins
Abstract

The GATA family of nuclear factors has been implicated in the regulation of cell type-specific transcription. We report the isolation of the Xenopus GATA-4 and GATA-6 cDNA clones and characterize the expression patterns of the xGATA-4/5/6 genes. By comparing the sequence of the cDNAs with those previously reported from chick and mammalian sources, we conclude that each is conserved across vertebrate evolution as a distinct gene product. Each gene is expressed in differentiated adult heart and gut, but maintains distinct transcript patterns in various other adult tissues. During embryogenesis, each gene displays a similar overlapping distribution of transcripts localized throughout the developing cardiogenic region. The xGATA-4 gene can be detected in dorsal cardiac progenitor rudiments prior to migration. Axis disruption experiments were used to demonstrate that transcription of these genes is intimately associated with the specification of cardiac progenitors. Ectopic expression of each gene is specifically capable of activating during embryogenesis the transcription of the cardiac genes encoding actin and myosin heavy chain alpha. The data are consistent with a primary role for the GATA-4/5/6 genes in regulating heart development.

DOI10.1006/dbio.1996.0071
Alternate JournalDev Biol
PubMed ID8631498

Weill Cornell Medicine
Hartman Institute for Therapeutic Organ Regeneration
1300 York Ave, Box 136 New York, NY 10065