A novel gene, Ami is expressed in vascular tissue in Xenopus laevis

We report the isolation and expression pattern of a novel gene, Ami in Xenopus laevis. Ami was initially isolated as a highly expressed gene in cardiovascular tissues. The deduced amino acid sequence of Ami was most closely similar to human complement factor D and mouse adipsin in mammals. In adult Xenopus tissues, the transcript of Ami was detected in liver, fat body, lung, gut, vessel, heart, muscle, testis, and ovary, but expression in blood cells or skin was hardly detected. This expression profile was significantly different from that observed for mammalian homologues. Ami transcripts in Xenopus laevis were expressed from the late neurula stage, remained constant until the tadpole stage. The mRNA localized to paraxial regions at the neurula stage and anterior ventral regions at the tailbud stage. From the late tailbud to tadpole stage, expression was detected along the forming blood vessels, including the anterior cardinal veins, posterior cardinal veins, intersomitic veins, dorsal longitudinal anastomosing vessel, dorsal aorta, pronephric sinus, and most prominently around the vascular vitelline network. The expression around the vascular vitelline network demonstrated left-right asymmetry in stage 42 embryo. Comparison with the endothelium marker, Xmsr, suggested that Ami is expressed in endothelial cells.