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The cerberus‐related gene, Cerr1 , is not essential for mouse head formation
Author(s) -
Shawlot William,
Min Deng Jian,
Wakamiya Maki,
Behringer Richard R.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1526-968x(200004)26:4<253::aid-gene60>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - head (geology) , biology , gene , genetics , computational biology , evolutionary biology , paleontology
Summary: The Xenopus cerberus gene encodes a secreted factor expressed in the Spemann organizer that can cause ectopic head formation when its mRNA is injected into Xenopus embryos. In mouse, the cerberus ‐ related gene, Cerr 1, is expressed in the anterior mesendoderm that underlies the presumptive anterior neural plate and its expression is downregulated in Lim 1 headless embryos. To determine whether Cerr 1 is required for head formation we generated a null mutation in Cerr 1 by gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells. We found that head formation is normal in Cerr 1 ‐/‐ embryos and we detected no obvious phenotypic defects in adult Cerr 1 ‐/‐ mice. However, in embryonic tissue layer recombination assays, Cerr 1 ‐/‐ presomitic/somitic mesoderm, unlike Cerr 1‐expressing wild‐type presomitic/somitic mesoderm, was unable to maintain expression of the anterior neural marker gene Otx 2 in ectoderm explants. These findings suggest that establishment of anterior identity in the mouse may involve the action of multiple functionally redundant factors. genesis 26:253–258, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.