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Synaptic vesicle-associated proteins are important regulators of neurotransmitter release at synaptic terminals in mature animals. Some synaptic vesicle-associated proteins are also expressed during development, although their contribution to development is not as clear. Here, we describe the cloning and developmental expression pattern of the Xenopus laevis synaptic vesicle-associated protein SVOP, a gene first identified as an immediate target for proneural basic helix-loop-helix factors. Alignment analysis revealed a high level of identity between the SVOP protein sequences from Xenopus and other vertebrates. In developing Xenopus embryos, SVOP expression is restricted to the nervous system and is first detectable at the mid-neurula stage. As development progresses SVOP becomes broadly expressed throughout the central nervous system. Our observation that SVOP is expressed in the developing Xenopus nervous system suggests that it may be involved in neuron formation, maturation, or neuronal function.
Figure 4. Developmental expression pattern of Xenopus SVOP. A-F: The expression pattern of SVOP was determined by performing whole-mount in situ hybridization on wild-type albino embryos. Arrowheads point to SVOP staining in the trigeminal ganglion (tg), whereas arrows indicate spinal cord expression. Embryo orientations are dorsal in A and F, anterior in B and lateral in C-E. SVOP, SVtwO-related Protein.
Figure 5. Expression of SVOP in Xenopus embryo sections. A-K: Embryos were paraffin embedded and sectioned after whole-mount in situ hybridization. A-C: At stage 20, SVOP staining (A) correlates with differentiating Rohon-Beard neurons, as marked by Xaml (B) and XHox11L2 (C). D-F: An additional ventral domain of SVOP staining becomes apparent at stage 22 (D) and 25 (E), which mirrors the pattern of XNeuroD expression (F). G-I: At stage 30, ventrolateral SVOP staining was observed in the neural tube at trunk level (G), in the brain at the level of the otic vesicle (ov; H), and in the ventralforebrain (I). I: There was also staining of the trigeminal ganglion (tg; arrow) but no staining in the neural retina. J,K: At stage 42, frontal sections at the level of the retina (J) and at trunk level (K) reveal staining throughout the neural tube, with exclusion from the ventricular zone. J: There was also staining of the inner layers of the neural retina. ldquo n rdquo marks the notochord.
SVOP (SV2 related protein homolog ) gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryos, NF stage 32, as assayed by in situ hybridization. Lateral view: anteriorleft, dorsal up.
