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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Stem cell-like Xenopus Embryonic Explants to Study Early Neural Developmental Features In Vitro and In Vivo
Published on: February 2, 2016
Xgravin-like (Xgl), a novel putative a-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) expressed during embryonic development in
P Klingbeil1, G Frazzetto, T Bouwmeester
1Developmental Biology Programme, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Meyerhofstrasse 1, D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany.
Abstract:
A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) are a heterogeneous family of scaffolding proteins that regulate the compartmentalization of signaling components, in particular that of the broad specificity kinase PKA. Here we describe the identification of a new member of this gene family, termed Xenopus gravin-like (Xgl), which encodes a highly acidic protein of 268 kDa that shares extensive homology with human Gravin and murine SSeCKS. Xgl is zygotically expressed in a highly dynamic fashion. During gastrulation Xgl is expressed in posterior mesoderm of the dorsal blastopore lip. During neurulation expression is transiently detected in the forebrain, two bilateral neuroectodermal stripes and the notochord. At tailbud stages expression commences in the mandibular neural crest and the roof of the spinal cord from where neural crest cells migrate into the intersomitic region. In addition expression is detected in the heart and the anterior aspect of the chordoneural hinge.
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