From expression cloning to gene modeling: the development of Xenopus gene sequence resources.

ABSTRACT: The Xenopus community has made concerted efforts over the last 10-12 years systematically to improve the available sequence information for this amphibian model organism ideally suited to the study of early development in vertebrates. Here I review progress in the collection of both sequence data and physical clone reagents for protein coding genes. I conclude that we have cDNA sequences for around 50% and full-length clones for about 35% of the genes in Xenopus tropicalis, and similar numbers but a smaller proportion for Xenopus laevis. In addition, I demonstrate that the gaps in the current genome assembly create problems for the computational elucidation of gene sequences, and suggest some ways to ameliorate the effects of this.

SUBMITTER: Gilchrist MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3488295 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature