A temporally resolved transcriptome for developing "Keller" explants of the Xenopus laevis dorsal marginal zone

Abstract

Background: Explanted tissues from vertebrate embryos reliably develop in culture and have provided essential paradigms for understanding embryogenesis, from early embryological investigations of induction, to the extensive study of Xenopus animal caps, to the current studies of mammalian gastruloids. Cultured explants of the Xenopus dorsal marginal zone ("Keller" explants) serve as a central paradigm for studies of convergent extension cell movements, yet we know little about the global patterns of gene expression in these explants. Results: In an effort to more thoroughly develop this important model system, we provide here a time-resolved bulk transcriptome for developing Keller explants. Conclusions: The dataset reported here provides a useful resource for those using Keller explants for studies of morphogenesis and provide genome-scale insights into the temporal patterns of gene expression in an important tissue when explanted and grown in culture.