Xenopus laevis Raw sequence reads. Xenopus laevis

The establishment of cell lineages occurs via a dynamic progression of gene regulatory networks that underlie developmental commitment and differentiation. To investigate how microRNAs (miRs) function in this process, we compared miRs and miR targets at the initiation of the two major ectodermal lineages in Xenopus. We used next-generation sequencing to identify over 400 miRs expressed in midgastrula ectoderm expressing either noggin or a constitutively active BMP receptor. To identify targets of miR-dependent translational control, we co-immunoprecipitated Argonaute-Ribonucleoprotein (Ago-RNP) complexes from early neural and epidermal ectoderm and sequenced the associated RNA. We also sequenced total RNAs isolated from both ectodermal tissues.