SpMTA

Function

The SpMTA is a metallothionein (MT) gene of the sea urchin. (Harlow et al., 1989).

Protein

Metallothioneins are small, cysteine-rich proteins comprised largely of heavy metal-binding domains (Nemer et al., 1991).
SWISS_PROT: P04734

Subcellular location

Expression Pattern

More than 95 % of the inherited maternal MT RNA and >90 % of the MT mRNA synthesized by Strongylocentrotus purpuratus embryos is MTA.
The virtual absence of endogenous MTA mRNA accumulation and transcription of MT genes in embryos cultured in chelator indicates that MT gene expression in this system depends largely, if not entirely, on the involvement of heavy-metal ions (Harlow et al., 1989).
Transcripts of the SpMTA metallothionein (MT) gene begin to accumulate at the 10-12 h blastula stage. The MTA mRNA rises from ~2 * 10^4 transcripts/egg to ~2 * 10^5 transcripts/20-h blastula.
MTA mRNA is restricted to the aboral ectoderm and this same localization holds for embryos induced with heavy metal ions (Nemer et al., 1991).

mRNA level

Temporal accumulation
Method: northern blot analysis
Reference: Nemer et al., 1991

Hours post fertilization 0 4 8 12 16 20 24

Level (transcripts per embryo X 10^-5) 0,3 0,3 0,3 0,35 0,7 1,7 2,3

Spatial localization
Method: in situ hybridization
Reference: Nemer et al., 1991

Stage Pluteus

Tissue Aboral ectoderm

Sequences

GenBank:

complete cds

Regulatory Regions

Regulatory Connections

Upstream Genes

SpTEF1 SpP3A2

SpMTA

Downstream Genes

Evolutionary Homologues

MTB1 S.purpuratus

Links

Urchin Web

Bibliography

UrchiNet

Search the GeNet

Hours post fertilization	0	4	8	12	16	20	24
Level (transcripts per embryo X 10^-5)	0,3	0,3	0,3	0,35	0,7	1,7	2,3