Expression of TAFII70 RNA and protein during oogenesis and development of the amphibian Pleurodeles waltl

TAFs are thought to play an essential role in eukaryotic RNA polymerase II transcription by mediating the expression of distinct subsets of genes. TAF II60/70 was studied in yeast, Drosophila and humans: in the present work, w e analyzed the homologue PwTAFII70 in Pleurodeles. The gene is expressed in ovarian oocytes and throughout development, and the level of expression de creases in late embryos. The transcripts are localized in the animal hemisp here of the fertilized eggs and in the animal blastomeres of embryos at cle avage; later PwTAFII70 mRNA is expressed in the neural plate and folds. TAF II70 protein, which is present in fertilized eggs and throughout developmen t, progressively shows a lower level of expression starting from the neurul a stage. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.