Expression and subcellular localization of X-ATM during early Xenopus development

ATM, the gene mutated in ataxia telangiectasia, is a protein essential for handling DNA strand breaks. We recently isolated the Xenopus homologue of ATM, X-ATM and we report here the detailed expression pattern of the protein and the mRNA during early Xenopus development. During the cleavage stages, ATM protein was concentrated in and around the nuclei of all cells with low levels of expression also detected in the cytoplasm. Following neurulation, increased protein levels were detected in the nuclei of developing somites and in the central nervous system. Areas of high protein expression correlated with areas of increased mRNA expression which was detected in the nuclei of somites and the developing lens.