Premium
Fjx1: A notch‐inducible secreted ligand with specific binding sites in developing mouse embryos and adult brain
Author(s) -
Rock Rebecca,
Heinrich Achim C.,
Schumacher Nina,
Gessler Manfred
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.20553
Subject(s) - biology , notch signaling pathway , notch proteins , transmembrane protein , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , embryo , ligand (biochemistry) , glycoprotein , signal transduction , genetics , receptor
The mouse fjx1 gene was identified as a homologue to the Drosophila gene four‐jointed ( fj ). Fj encodes a transmembrane type II glycoprotein that is partially secreted. The gene was found to be a downstream target of the Notch signaling pathway in leg segmentation and planar cell polarity processes during eye development of Drosophila . Here, we show that fjx1 is not only conserved in vertebrates, but we also identified the murine fjx1 gene as a direct target of Notch signaling. In addition to the previously described expression of fjx1 in mouse brain, we show here that fjx1 is expressed in the peripheral nervous system, epithelial cells of multiple organs, and during limb development. The protein is processed and secreted as a presumptive ligand. Through the use of an fjx1‐AP fusion protein, we could visualize fjx1 binding sites at complementary locations, supporting the notion that fjx1 may function as a novel signaling molecule. Developmental Dynamics 234:602–612, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.