High impact information on des-a

• During embryogenesis of avian and mammalian species the formation of intermediate filaments (IFs) containing desmin is characteristic for myogenesis [1].
• In view of important differences of patterns of IF protein expression in embryogenic pathways of amphibia on the one hand and birds and mammals on the other, we have decided to study the expression of desmin during early embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis by cDNA hybridization and antibody reactions [1].
• Immunofluorescence microscopy using desmin-specific antibodies shows that this synthesis of desmin is restricted to somite tissue [1].
• Here we describe the isolation of a cDNA clone encoding Xenopus desmin and the deduced amino acid sequence (458 residues; Mr 52,800) which displays a very high degree of conservation during vertebrate evolution from Xenopus to chicken and hamster, with a similar degree of sequence divergence between all three species compared [1].
• RNA (Northern) blot analyses show the occurrence of three different desmin mRNAs (1.9, 2.6 and 3.0 kb) which seem to represent different polyadenylation sites, displaying quantitative differences in different kinds of muscle tissues [1].

Biological context of des-a

• During embryogenesis, desmin mRNA has first been detected in stage-14 embryos and then increases drastically to high levels at stage 18 and thereafter [1].

Anatomical context of des-a

• Expression of intermediate filament proteins during development of Xenopus laevis. II. Identification and molecular characterization of desmin [1].
• As the muscle matures (stage 30 and later) desmin becomes increasingly associated with the sarcolemma and with the Z-discs [2].
• The most striking observation is that prior to myotomal segmentation and rotation desmin is concentrated at the medial and lateral tips of the myocytes [2].

Other interactions of des-a

• This muscle differs from those described previously primarily in that the desmin system forms de novo, i.e., without the presence of a pre-existing vimentin filament system [2].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of des-a

• In addition, we have noted, by both cDNA-hybrid-selection-translation and immunoblotting of cytoskeletal proteins a second desmin-related polypeptide of Mr approximately 49,000 [1].

References