Cloning and expression of Ventrhoid, a novel vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila EGF pathway gene rhomboid

In Drosophila melanogaster, the seven-pass transmembrane protein Rhomboid (Rho) is a crucial positive modulator of EGF signaling playing a substantial role in patterning of the ventral neuroectoderm and fate specification of neuroblasts. Here, we describe the cloning and expression pattern of Ventrhoid (Vrho), the novel evolutionarily conserved vertebrate cDNA related to fruit fly rho. Most importantly, like rho in Drosophila, Vrho is also expressed in a spatially restricted manner. Vrho expression is most prominent along the developing ventral neural tube, and is also detectable in the ventral forebrain, prospective diencephalon, otic vesicles, mandibular arches, cranial sensory placodes, last formed pair of somites and hindgut in midgestational mouse embryos.