Mol Reprod Dev 2000 Feb 01;552:229-39. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2795(200002)55:2<229::AID-MRD13>3.0.CO;2-6.

alpha-Spectrin has a stage-specific asymmetrical localization during Xenopus oogenesis.

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Xenopus oocyte organization largely depends upon the cytoskeleton distribution, which is dynamically regulated during oogenesis. An actin-based cytoskeleton is present in the cortex starting from stage 1. At stages 4-6, a complex and polarized cytoskeleton network forms in the cytoplasm. In this paper, we studied the distribution of spectrin, a molecule that has binding sites for several cytoskeletal proteins and is responsible for the determination of regionalized membrane territories. The localization of alpha-spectrin mRNA was analyzed during Xenopus oogenesis by in situ hybridization on both whole mount and sections, utilizing a cDNA probe encoding a portion of Xenopus alpha-spectrin. Furthermore, an antibody against mammalian alpha-spectrin was used to localize the protein. Our results showed a stage-dependent mRNA localization and suggested that spectrin may participate in the formation of specific domains in oocytes at stages 1 and 2 and 4-6. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 55:229-239, 2000.

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Species referenced: Xenopus laevis
Genes referenced: actl6a sptan1