Related Experiment Videos
Expression of alternatively spliced bFGF first coding exons and antisense mRNAs during chicken embryogenesis
A Zúñiga Mejía Borja1, C Meijers, R Zeller
1EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany.
Developmental Biology
|May 1, 1993
Summary
Researchers discovered novel alternatively spliced basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) transcripts in chicken embryos. These findings suggest a potential regulatory role for antisense transcripts and new functions for bFGF isoforms during development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), also known as FGF-2, is crucial for cell growth and differentiation.
- Previous studies identified bFGF transcripts and antisense transcripts in Xenopus laevis.
- The role of different bFGF transcript variants during embryogenesis and in adult tissues is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize different basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) transcripts during chicken embryogenesis and in adult organs.
- To investigate the potential regulatory role of antisense bFGF transcripts.
- To explore the implications of novel alternatively spliced bFGF transcripts.
Main Methods:
- Identification and classification of bFGF transcripts using molecular cloning techniques.
- Analysis of transcript expression patterns during chicken embryogenesis and in adult organs.
- Comparison of sense and antisense transcript levels.
Main Results:
- Eight distinct bFGF transcripts were identified, categorized into three classes.
- Three transcripts encode conserved bFGF proteins.
- Two transcripts showed homology to Xenopus laevis antisense bFGF transcripts, with inverse expression patterns in adult organs.
- A novel class of three alternatively spliced bFGF transcripts (alt-bFGF) was discovered, predominantly expressed during embryogenesis.
- Alternative splicing of exon 1 resulted in a novel amino-terminal domain in the predicted bFGF isoform.
- alt-bFGF transcripts were abundant during embryogenesis but significantly less so in adult organs.
Conclusions:
- The study identified diverse bFGF transcript classes, including novel alternatively spliced variants.
- Antisense bFGF transcripts may play a regulatory role in adult organs.
- The novel alt-bFGF isoform, with its unique N-terminal domain, likely has specific functions during embryonic development and morphogenesis.