Abstract
Xenopus tropicalis combine the advantages of X. laevis, for example using explants and targeted gain of function, with the ability to take classical genetics approaches to answering cell and developmental biology questions making it arguably the most versatile of the model organisms. Against this background, husbandry of X. tropicalis is less well developed than for its larger, more robust relative. Here we describe the methods used to keep and breed these frogs successfully.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Burki E (1985) The expression of creatine kinase isozymes in Xenopus tropicalis, Xenopus laevis laevis, and their viable hybrid. Biochem Genet 23(1–2):73–88
de Sa RO, Hillis DM (1990) Phylogenetic relationships of the pipid frogs Xenopus and Silurana: an integration of ribosomal DNA and morphology. Mol Biol Evol 7(4):365–376
Hellsten U et al (2010) The genome of the Western clawed frog Xenopus tropicalis. Science 328(5978):633–636
Wells DE et al (2011) A genetic map of Xenopus tropicalis. Dev Biol 354(1):1–8
Goda T et al (2006) Genetic screens for mutations affecting development of Xenopus tropicalis. PLoS Genet 2(6):e91
Grammer TC et al (2005) Identification of mutants in inbred Xenopus tropicalis. Mech Dev 122(3):263–272
Noramly S et al (2005) A gynogenetic screen to isolate naturally occurring recessive mutations in Xenopus tropicalis. Mech Dev 122(3):273–287
Abu-Daya A et al (2009) Absence of heartbeat in the Xenopus tropicalis mutation muzak is caused by a nonsense mutation in cardiac myosin myh6. Dev Biol 336(1):20–29
Geach TJ, Zimmerman LB (2010) Paralysis and delayed Z-disc formation in the Xenopus tropicalis unc45b mutant dicky ticker. BMC Dev Biol 10:75
Khokha MK et al (2009) Rapid gynogenetic mapping of Xenopus tropicalis mutations to chromosomes. Dev Dyn 238(6):1398–1446
Akkers RC et al (2009) A hierarchy of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 acquisition in spatial gene regulation in Xenopus embryos. Dev Cell 17(3):425–434
Akkers RC et al (2010) ChIP-chip designs to interrogate the genome of Xenopus embryos for transcription factor binding and epigenetic regulation. PLoS One 5(1):e8820
Kenwrick S, Amaya E, Papalopulu N (2004) Pilot morpholino screen in Xenopus tropicalis identifies a novel gene involved in head development. Dev Dyn 229(2):289–299
Chae J, Zimmerman LB, Grainger RM (2002) Inducible control of tissue-specific transgene expression in Xenopus tropicalis transgenic lines. Mech Dev 117(1–2):235–241
Hartley KO, Nutt SL, Amaya E (2002) Targeted gene expression in transgenic Xenopus using the binary Gal4-UAS system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99(3):1377–1382
Ryffel GU et al (2003) Tagging muscle cell lineages in development and tail regeneration using Cre recombinase in transgenic Xenopus. Nucleic Acids Res 31(8):e44
Abu-Daya A et al (2011) The secreted integrin ligand nephronectin is necessary for forelimb formation in Xenopus tropicalis. Dev Biol 349(2):204–212
Ubbels GA et al (1983) Evidence for a functional role of the cytoskeleton in determination of the dorsoventral axis in Xenopus laevis eggs. J Embryol Exp Morphol 77:15–37
Trott KA et al (2004) Characterization of a Mycobacterium ulcerans-like infection in a colony of African tropical clawed frogs (Xenopus tropicalis). Comp Med 54(3):309–317
Mve-Obiang A et al (2005) A newly discovered mycobacterial pathogen isolated from laboratory colonies of Xenopus species with lethal infections produces a novel form of mycolactone, the Mycobacterium ulcerans macrolide toxin. Infect Immun 73(6):3307–3312
Suykerbuyk P et al (2007) Mycobacterium liflandii infection in European colony of Silurana tropicalis. Emerg Infect Dis 13(5):743–746
Sanchez-Morgado JM, Gallagher A, Johnson LK (2009) Mycobacterium gordonae infection in a colony of African clawed frogs (Xenopus tropicalis). Lab Anim 43(3):300–303
Ribas L et al (2009) Expression profiling the temperature-dependent amphibian response to infection by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. PLoS One 4(12):e8408
Parker JM et al (2002) Clinical diagnosis and treatment of epidermal chytridiomycosis in African clawed frogs (Xenopus tropicalis). Comp Med 52(3):265–268
Sargent MG, Mohun TJ (2005) Cryopreservation of sperm of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis. Genesis 41(1):41–46
Acknowledgements
The European Xenopus Resource Centre is funded by the Wellcome Trust, BBSRC and NC3Rs. The authors are very grateful to Colin Sharpe for suggesting improvements to the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Jafkins, A., Abu-Daya, A., Noble, A., Zimmerman, L.B., Guille, M. (2012). Husbandry of Xenopus tropicalis . In: HOPPLER, S., Vize, P. (eds) Xenopus Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 917. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-992-1_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-992-1_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ
Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-991-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-992-1
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols