Figure 7.

Mis-expression of Eps8 results in gastrulation defects. (A) RT-PCR analysis of the developmental expression of XEps8. ODC serves as a control for RNA isolation and reverse transcription. (B) Western blot probed with anti-XEps8 antibodies show that XEps8 protein is provided maternally and is present in gastrula, neurula, and tailbud stage embryos. (C) Control and (D) Eps8-injected embryos at stage 12. In control embryos the blastopore is well formed and has progressed vegetally (arrowheads). In contrast, Eps8-injected embryos display severe buckling of tissue above the blastopore (arrowheads) and a disorganized blastopore lip that is delayed and malformed. (E) Control stage 37/38 embryos. (F) Eps8-injected embryos show a range of phenotypes including microcephaly, cyclopia, and shortening and arching of the A-P axis. Top = low dose (50 pg); middle = intermediate dose (200 pg); bottom = high dose (1 ng). (G,H) Histological analysis of Eps8-injected embryos shows that Eps8 expression causes a broadening of the notochord (no) and disorganization of the neural tube (nt) and somites (so).