The animal cap assay in @entity1238 was used to study the induction and regulation of the mesoderm-specific gene @entity69451 , a homolog of the @entity1 @entity5738 genes. @entity69451 is an immediate-early gene whose growth factor-stimulated transcriptional induction displays a transient activity profile and occurs independent of protein synthesis. The @entity69451 promoter contains multiple serum response elements (SREs). In this paper we show that @entity69451 is induced unspecifically during the process of animal cap preparation. Transcripts of @entity69451 appear already 30 min after cutting of animal caps. Xfos, another SRE-regulated immediate-early gene, is induced with the same kinetics as @entity69451 . In contrast, the @entity55408 gene is not induced under the experimental conditions used. Xfos and @entity69451 transcripts are not rapidly down-regulated after mechanical stimulation, but can be detected for up to 4 h later. Wounding-dependent @entity69451 induction is reduced by injection of either mRNA coding for the dominant inhibitory forms of both the FGF receptor and the transcription factor @entity2498 -1. @entity69451 expression can be reinduced by mesoderm-inducing factors. These results led us to develop a new protocol for animal cap preparation, which circumvents the observed undesired artefactual gene activation events.

Artefactual gene induction during preparation of XXXX animal cap explants.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['mammalian'] @entity1238 :: ('8355', 'Species') :: ['Xenopus laevis'] @entity55408 :: ('432248(Tax:8355)', 'Gene') :: ['Xbra'] @entity5738 :: ('1958', 'Gene') :: ['egr-1'] @entity2498 :: ('9860', 'Species') :: ['Elk'] @entity69451 :: ('399162(Tax:8355)', 'Gene') :: ['Xegr-1', 'Egr-1']
@entity1238 :: (8355,Species) :: ['Xenopus laevis']
