Microarray analysis of mRNAs enriched in the vegetal cortex of Xenopus oocytes

RNA localization is a fundamental mechanism for controlling the spatial regulation of protein synthesis within cells, as well as differential cell fates during early development. Localized RNAs are known to control critical aspects of early Xenopus development, but few have been studied in detail. We set out to identify novel transcripts localized to the vegetal cortex of Xenopus oocytes, one of the best-studied examples of RNA localization. We identified over 400 transcripts enriched in the vegetal cortex, compared with whole oocytes. Included were many novel genes, as well as known genes not thought to undergo RNA localization. These data suggest that the role of RNA localization in early development is extensive and will provide a resource for identifying candidate regulatory genes for early developmental processes.

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Cuykendall TN, Houston DW