U.S.-Chile Cooperative Research: Neural Crest Induction in Xenopus

小行星9722460 这个美洲计划奖将支持玛丽安布朗纳-弗雷泽博士， 加州理工学院，与智利大学罗伯托·马约尔博士合作研究。 研究人员计划研究一种新分离的基因NP-1的表达对神经嵴细胞最初形成的影响。 布朗纳博士与另外两名研究人员合作，从鸟类胚胎中分离并测序的新基因与其他已知的基因家族没有明显的相似之处。 然而，尽管鸡系统对于实验胚胎学具有许多优点，但是在鸟类中异位表达基因产物是困难的。 因此，研究人员开始了对非洲爪蟾系统的研究，该系统代表了在早期发育中追求分子异位表达的理想系统。 是的。他们计划分离出NP-！的爪蟾同源物。 他们的研究将联合收割机分子生物学方法与实验胚胎学相结合，长期目标是表征和 了解该基因在神经嵴形成中的功能。 的 合作将大大受益于 结合双方研究人员的专业知识和研究兴趣。拟议中的实验将在Mayor博士的实验室进行，Mayor博士是非洲爪蟾系统的专家，对神经嵴发育有着长期的兴趣。 . ***

9722460 Bronner-Fraser This Americas Program award will support Dr. Marianne Bronner- Fraser, California Institute of Technology, in a research collaboration with Dr. Roberto Mayor, Universidad de Chile. The investigators plan to study the effect of expression of a newly isolated gene, NP-1, on the initial formation of neural crest cells. The new gene, isolated and sequenced from avian embryos by Dr. Bronner in collaboration with two other researchers, has no obvious similarities to other known gene families. However, although the chick system has many advantages for experimental embryology, it is difficult to ectopically express gene products in birds. Therefore, the researchers have initiated studies of the Xenopus system, which represents an ideal system in which to pursue ectopic expression of molecules in early development. To that effect. they plan to isolate the Xenopus homologue of NP-!. Their research will combine molecular biological approaches with experimental embryology, with the long-term goal to characterize and understand the function of the gene in neural crest formation. The collaboration will benefit greatly from the combined expertise and research intereqt of both researchers. The proposed experiments will take place in Dr. Mayor's laboratory, who is an expert on the Xenopus system and has a long standing interest in neural crest development. . ***