Neural-inducing activity and glycoprotein synthesis of newly mesodermalized ectoderm in the newtCynops (Amphibia)

An artificially mesodermalized ectoderm (mE) shows the same properties as the organizer: chordamesoderm formation and neural induction. The neural-inducing activity of the mE was inhibited by treatment with protein synthesis inhibitors (cycloheximide and puromycin) and a specific inhibitor of protein glycosylation (tunicamycin). These antibiotics also inhibited chordamesoderm differentiaton, especiallly that of notochord. Newly synthesized proteins of the mE were compared with those of presumptive ectoderm (pE) using two-dimensional PAGE. There were differences in relative amounts of many protein spots. These results suggest that neural-inducing activity is related to glycoproteins synthesized during the early phase of mesodermalization.