A retinoic acid receptor expressed in the early development of Xenopus laevis

We have isolated cDNAs coding for a putative retinoic acid receptor (RAR) of the gamma-type from a Xenopus laevis neurula cDNA library. By transient cotransfection of COS cells with an expression vector and a reporter plasmid, this cDNA is shown to direct the synthesis of a retinoic acid-dependent transcription factor. In embryos of X. laevis, transcription of the corresponding gene is greatly enhanced during gastrulation and early neurulation. Two distinct areas with high abundance of RAR gamma mRNA are located at the anterior and at the posterior end of the neurula. The two maxima have emerged by the end of gastrulation and they become more pronounced during neurulation. At tailbud and early tadpole stages, the RAR transcripts are found mainly in the head mesenchyme and in the tailbud. The expression of this RAR is region-specific but not germ-layer-specific. The strong and stage-specific activation of zygotic transcription of this RAR gene, and the specific localization of the mRNA are consistent with the temporal and spatial pattern of retinoic acid sensitivity of X. laevis embryos. Therefore it is likely that the gene product mediates the effects of endogenous and of exogenous retinoic acid on early embryogenesis of Xenopus. The significance of these findings for the specification of the anteroposterior axis is discussed.