10.1371/journal.pone.0069866 Simone Macrì Simone Macrì Riccardo Sgarra Riccardo Sgarra Gloria Ros Gloria Ros Elisa Maurizio Elisa Maurizio Salvina Zammitti Salvina Zammitti Ornella Milani Ornella Milani Marco Onorati Marco Onorati Robert Vignali Robert Vignali Guidalberto Manfioletti Guidalberto Manfioletti Expression and Functional Characterization of <i>Xhmg-at-hook</i> Genes in <i>Xenopus laevis</i> Public Library of Science 2013 Anatomy and physiology Neurological system Central nervous system Biochemistry proteins DNA-binding proteins Nucleic acids developmental biology Cell fate determination embryology genetics gene expression Gene function Model organisms Animal models Xenopus laevis characterization genes 2013-07-25 01:44:51 Dataset https://plos.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Expression_and_Functional_Characterization_of_Xhmg_at_hook_Genes_in_Xenopus_laevis_/754817 <div><p>High Mobility Group A proteins (HMGA1 and HMGA2) are architectural nuclear factors involved in development, cell differentiation, and cancer formation and progression. Here we report the cloning, developmental expression and functional analysis of a new multi-AT-hook factor in <i>Xenopus laevis</i> (XHMG-AT-hook) that exists in three different isoforms. <i>Xhmg-at-hook1</i> and <i>3</i> isoforms, but not isoform <i>2</i>, are expressed throughout the entire development of <i>Xenopus</i>, both in the maternal and zygotic phase. Localized transcripts are present in the animal pole in the early maternal phase; during the zygotic phase, mRNA can be detected in the developing central nervous system (CNS), including the eye, and in the neural crest. We show evidence that XHMG-AT-hook proteins differ from typical HMGA proteins in terms of their properties in DNA binding and in protein/protein interaction. Finally, we provide evidence that they are involved in early CNS development and in neural crest differentiation.</p></div>