SpCOUP-TF

Function

SpCOUP-TF encodes a transcription factor. SpCOUP-TF gene is a highly conserved sea urchin homologue of the vertebrate COUP-TFs and the Drosophila seven up subfamily of transcription factors, which are members of the orphan steroid hormon receptors.
A possible function of this factor is the determination of neurogenic progenitor cells, which give rise to the larva nervous system (Vlahou et al., 1996).

Protein

SpCOUP-TF is the steroid-thyroid-retinoic acid hormone (Vlahou et al., 1996).
GenBank: 422530

Subcellular location

Oocyte and egg cytoplasm, embryonic nuclei (Vlahou et al., 1996).

Expression Pattern

The SpCOUP-TF gene is expressed during oogenesis and its transcripts are stored in the egg as maternal mRNA (Chan et al., 1992).
The whole mount in situ hybridization indicates that the maternal SpCOUP-TF mRNA is placed in the egg in a fixed position relative to the embryonic axes, i.e. lateral to the animal-vegetal (A/V) and at 45 degree angle to the oral-aboral (O/A) axis.
Thus the SpCOUP-TF mRNA is the first sea urchin maternal mRNA encoding a transcription factor that is specifically localized with respect to both embryonic axes in the egg (Vlahou et al., 1996).
SpCOUP-TF gene is activated during embryonic development and its mRNA has been detected at all stages up to the pluteus larva (Chan et al., 1992).
The embryonic expression of the SpCOUP-TF gene is spatially restricted to the oral ectoderm of the early embryo (blastula and gastrula stage) and, at later stages (pluteus), to the cells of the ciliated band, the neurogenic cell lineage.

Spatial localization
Method: in situ hybridization
Reference: Vlahou et al., 1996

Stage Oocyte Egg Cleavage Blastula Gastrula Prism/pluteus Pluteus larva

Tissue One side towards the cortex region Lateral to A/V axis and 45 degree clockwise to O/A axis Lateral to A/V axis and 45 degree clockwise to O/A axis Oral ectoderm Oral ectoderm Oral ectoderm Neurogenic ciliated band

Sequences

GenBank:

exon 1 and 5' flank

Regulatory Regions

Regions

Regulatory Connections

Upstream Genes

SpCOUP-TF

Downstream Genes

CyIIIb

Evolutionary homologues

seven up Drosophila melanogaster
COUP-TF Lytechinus variegatus
COUP-TF Lytechinus pictus
SpSHR2 Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
COUP-TF Zebrafish
COUP-TF Chicken
COUP-TF-1 Homo sapiens

Bibliography

UrchiNet

Search the GeNet

Stage	Oocyte	Egg	Cleavage	Blastula	Gastrula	Prism/pluteus	Pluteus larva
Tissue	One side towards the cortex region	Lateral to A/V axis and 45 degree clockwise to O/A axis	Lateral to A/V axis and 45 degree clockwise to O/A axis	Oral ectoderm	Oral ectoderm	Oral ectoderm	Neurogenic ciliated band

SpCOUP-TF

Function

Protein

Subcellular location

Expression Pattern

Sequences

Regulatory Regions

Regulatory Connections

Upstream Genes

SpCOUP-TF

Downstream Genes

Evolutionary homologues

Links

Bibliography