Volume 16, No 4, Apr 2006

ISSN: 1001-0602 
EISSN: 1748-7838 2018 
impact factor 17.848* 
(Clarivate Analytics, 2019)

Volume 16 Issue 4, April 2006: 337-346

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Isolation and characterization of Xenopus laevis homologs of the mouse inv gene and functional analysis of the conserved calmodulin binding sites

Yukuto Yasuhiko, Koichiro Shiokawa, Toshio Mochizuki, Makoto Asashima, Takahiko Yokoyama

Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women抯 Medical University, School of Medicine, Japan; Department of Life Science, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 158-8902, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Tokyo Women抯 Medical College, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan Correspondence: Takahiko Yokoyama(tyoko@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp)

The homozygous inv (inversion of embryonic turning) mouse mutant shows situs inversus and polycystic kidney disease, both of which result from the lack of the inv gene. Previously, we suggested that inv may be important for the left杛ight axis formation, not only in mice but also in Xenopus, and that calmodulin regulates this inv protein function. Here, we isolated and characterized two Xenopus laevis homologs (Xinv-1 and Xinv-2) of the mouse inv gene, and performed functional analysis of the conserved IQ motifs that interact with calmodulin. Xinv-1 expresses early in development in the same manner as mouse inv does. Unexpectedly, a full-length Xenopus inv mRNA did not randomize cardiac orientation when injected into Xenopus embryos, which is different from mouse inv mRNA. Contrary to mouse inv mRNA, Xenopus inv mRNA with mutated IQ randomized cardiac orientation. The present study indicates that calmodulin binding sites (IQ motifs) are crucial in controlling the biological activity of both mouse and Xenopus inv proteins. Although mouse and Xenopus inv genes have a quite similar structure, the interaction with calmodulin and IQ motifs of Xenopus inv and mouse inv proteins may regulate their function in different ways.

Cell Research (2006) 16:337-346. doi:10.1038/sj.cr.7310044; published online 13 April 2006

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