| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1995: ¥1,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000)
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| Research Abstract |
In order to elucidate the function of exogastrula-inducing peptides (EGIPs), EGIP-binding protein (EBP) was examined in this study. At first, EBP was purified and its N-terminal amino acid sequences were determined. The cDNA fragments of EBP were amplified by RT-PCR method using degenerate primers. Two cDNA clones, that is, EBP-alpha and EBP-beta were obtained from a cDNA library of unfertilized eggs of the sea urchin Anthocidaris crassispina using, as probe, the cDNA fragments obtained by the RT-PCR method. The base sequences of the two cDNA clones were very similar to each other (96% identity). Moreover, the two clones showed significant similarity to the extracellular matrixes of the other sea urchin embryos, that is, HLC-32 and bep4.
I examined the level of EBP-alpha mRNA during the development of sea urchin embryos. It became clear that EBP-alpha mRNA was present in unfertilized eggs. The level of the mRNA decreased gradually as development progressed to the pluteus stage, although there was a transient increase of the mRNA level at the prism stage. The recombinat EBP-alpha expressed in E.colibound to EGIP and inhibited the exogastrula-iunducing activity of EGIP.These results suggest that EBP-alpha is the binding protein of EGIP.
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