Gene Networks Database


Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Genes in Development: Collagen


Spcoll


Function

Spcoll is a member of the sea urchin collagen family (Mayne and Burgesson, 1987).
Spcoll participates in the differentiation of the primary mesenchyme cells as they progress to the skeletogenic state (Wessel et al., 1991).

Protein

Spcoll is a nonfibrillar collagen. This protein contains Gly-X-Y repeats interrupted 13 times by varied amino acid sequences (Miller and Gay, 1987).
GenBank: 238617

Subcellular location

Spcoll polypeptide made by PMC in vitro accumulated at the cell-substrate interface. Since Spcoll is detectable in the culture supernatant by Western blot analysis and not along the enrire cell surface, Wessel et al. (1991) believe that that this collagen is secreted by the cells and trapped on the cell-surface interface. Spcoll in vivo is probably also secreted as a soluble molecule but is then incorporated into blastocoel through interactions with other components of the ECM.

Expression Pattern

Spcoll is transcribed as a 9-kb mRNA and accumulates only in mesenchyme cells (Angerer et al., 1988).
The RNA gel blot analysis has revealed a dramatic decrease in mRNA levels at the prism and the pluteus stage (Venkatesan et al., 1986). However Wessel et al. (1989) have shown by RNA gel blots using the pSUDColl7-1 sequence that Spcoll mRNA was first detectable at the swimming blastula stage (14 hr) and accumulated approximately fivefold to the pluteus stage (96 hr).
Significant accumulation of Spcoll mRNA was evident in primary mesenchyme cells during their ingression at the mesenchyme blastula stage. During gastrulation and development to the larval stage, secondary mesenchyme cells also accumulated Spcoll mRNA. No significant grain densities were detected in embryos prior to the blastula stage (Angerer et al., 1988).
The protein is expressed autonomously by mesenchyme cells during skeletogenesis (Wessel et al., 1991).

mRNA level

Temporal accumulation

Method: RNA gel blot analysis using the pSUDColl7-1 sequence
Reference: Wessel et al., 1989

Stage
Egg
Cleavage
Early blastula
Swimming blastula
Mesenchyme blastula
Gastrula
Prism
Pluteus
Level
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+

Spatial localization

Method: in situ hybridization
Reference: Wessel et al., 1989

Stage
Mesenchyme blastula
Gastrula
Prism
Pluteus
Tissue
Primary mesenchyme cells during their ingression
Primary and secondary mesenchyme cells
Primary and secondary mesenchyme cells
Primary and secondary mesenchyme cells


Sequences

GenBank:

Regulatory Regions

Regions

Regulatory Connections

Upstream Genes

Spcoll

Downstream Genes


Evolutionary Homologues


Links

Urchin Web

Bibliography


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