Rivera-Pérez J A, Mallo M, Gendron-Maguire M, Gridley T, Behringer R R
Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Development. 1995 Sep;121(9):3005-12. doi: 10.1242/dev.121.9.3005.
Goosecoid (gsc) is an evolutionarily conserved homeobox gene expressed in the gastrula organizer region of a variety of vertebrate embryos, including zebrafish, Xenopus, chicken and mouse. To understand the role of gsc during mouse embryogenesis, we generated gsc-null mice by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Surprisingly, gsc-null embryos gastrulated and formed the primary body axes; gsc-null mice were born alive but died soon after birth with numerous craniofacial defects. In addition, rib fusions and sternum abnormalities were detected that varied depending upon the genetic background. Transplantation experiments suggest that the ovary does not provide gsc function to rescue gastrulation defects. These results demonstrate that gsc is not essential for organizer activity in the mouse but is required later during embryogenesis for craniofacial and rib cage development.
鹅膏蕈氨酸（gsc）是一种在进化上保守的同源框基因，在包括斑马鱼、非洲爪蟾、鸡和小鼠在内的多种脊椎动物胚胎的原肠胚组织者区域表达。为了了解gsc在小鼠胚胎发育过程中的作用，我们通过对胚胎干细胞进行基因打靶来生成gsc基因敲除小鼠。令人惊讶的是，gsc基因敲除胚胎能够进行原肠胚形成并形成初级体轴；gsc基因敲除小鼠能够存活出生，但出生后不久就因众多颅面缺陷而死亡。此外，还检测到肋骨融合和胸骨异常，这些异常因遗传背景而异。移植实验表明，卵巢不能提供gsc功能来挽救原肠胚形成缺陷。这些结果表明，gsc对小鼠的组织者活性不是必需的，但在胚胎发育后期对颅面和胸廓发育是必需的。
