The Fox gene family in Xenopus laevis:FoxI2, FoxM1 and FoxP1 in early development

We here describe the sequences and expression patterns of three new Fox (fork head box) transcription factors in Xenopus laevis embryos. xlFoxI2, another member of subclass I, is maternally transcribed. Zygotic transcripts are first detected during neurulation and become localised to the dorsal part of epibranchial placodes. xlFoxM1 like xlFoxP1 are the first members of subclasses M and P described in Xenopus. Both genes are maternally expressed and transcripts are found during early cleavage stages in the animal blastomeres. xlFoxM1 is strongly upregulated during neurula stages and transcripts are localised in the neuroectoderm. Later, expression is found in the spinal cord, the rhombencephalon, the retina and in the branchial arches. xlFoxP1 is activated during organogenesis and is mainly expressed in the brain, head mesenchyme and in the splanchnic layer of the lateral plate mesoderm.