Dorsoventral patterning in Xenopus: inhibition of ventral signals by direct binding of chordin to BMP-4.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 8752213.
- Also identified by PMC identifier 3070603.
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Abstract
Chordin (Chd) is an abundant protein secreted by Spemann organizer tissue during gastrulation. Chd antagonizes signaling by mature bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) by blocking binding to their receptors. Recombinant Xenopus Chd binds to BMP-4 with high affinity (KD, 3 x 10(-10) M), binding specifically to BMPs but not to activin or TGF-beta1. Chd protein is able to dorsalize mesoderm and to neuralize ectoderm in Xenopus gastrula explants at 1 nM. We propose that the noncell-autonomous effects of Spemann's organizer on dorsoventral patterning are executed in part by diffusible signals that directly bind to and neutralize ventral BMPs during gastrulation.
Medical subject headings
- Embryonic Induction
- Glycoproteins
- Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
- Proteins
- Receptors, Growth Factor
- Xenopus laevis