Expression of a novel matrix metalloproteinase gene during Cynops early embryogenesis

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to play important roles in the gastrulation of Cynops pyrrhogaster embryos. MMP cDNAs were cloned from Cy nops pyrrhogaster and we report here a novel MMP called CyMMP, which has st rong similarity to MMP-21 (XMMP) in Xenopus. Reverse transcription-polymera se chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis demonstrated that CyMMP mRNA was alread y present in cleavage stage embryos. The amount of the mRNA then gradually decreased, but increased again starting in late gastrula. There were region al differences in the level of CyMMP mRNA expression at late gastrula: the involved archenteron roof was the predominant site of expression of the gen e, while there was weak expression in the neuroectoderm and epidermal ectod erm. We also found that the gene was activated in artificially mesodermaliz ed ectoderm. The present findings indicate that CyMMP mRNA expression is ac tivated in differentiating mesoderm during gastrulation, suggesting that Cy MMP plays a role in gastrulation-related cell movement. (C) 2001 Academic P ress.