Dc. Ludolph et al., CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF THE AXOLOTL PROTOONCOGENE SKI, Biochimica et biophysica acta, N. Gene structure and expression, 1260(1), 1995, pp. 102-104
In vitro and in vivo overexpression studies have demonstrated that the
c-ski proto-oncogene can influence proliferation, morphological trans
formation and myogenic differentiation. We report the isolation and ex
pression of an axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) c-ski (aski) gene. Sequen
ce analysis revealed a high degree of nucleotide and predicted amino a
cid (AA) homology with mammalian and anuran c-ski, showing the highest
conservation to Xenopus laevis c-ski (74% nucleotide and 87% AA). Nor
thern analysis showed that axolotl c-ski is expressed in unfertilized
eggs and at increasing levels in embryos from blastula to tadpole stag
e. c-ski expression was also detected in larval limb muscle and in sev
eral stages of regenerating limb blastemas. These data indicate that a
xolotl c-ski is highly conserved among amphibians and mammals and sugg
ests that it plays a role in urodele embryogenesis and limb regenerati
on.