Fig. 2

Xenopus tropicalis Mitf regulates the expression of genes related to melanocyte development. A The cartoon provides a schematic representation of how the human MITF protein regulates the expression of target genes via the M-box (CACGTG), thereby controlling melanocyte development. B, C Heat maps show the differential expression of genes associated with melanocyte development in the dorsal (B) and ventral (C) skin of WT and mitf^−/− Xenopus tropicalis. The FPKM values for each gene were normalized using the normalization function in GraphPad Prism 8.0 software, which was also used to create the heat maps. Mcon-DS1, Mcon-DS2, MKO-DS1, and MKO-DS2 represent two replicates of dorsal skin from WT and mitf^−/− Xenopus tropicalis, respectively. Similarly, Mcon-VS1, Mcon-VS2, MKO-VS1, and MKO-VS2 represent two replicates of ventral skin from WT and mitf^−/− Xenopus tropicalis, respectively. Each replicate sample from wild-type and mitf^−/− Xenopus tropicalis was obtained from the dorsal or ventral skin of three frogs. D–K The expression of Mitf-activated target genes (rdh5, rlbp1, msi1, dapl1, nf2, best1, ppargc1a, serpinf1) in the eyes of WT and mitf^−/− Xenopus tropicalis (unpaired t test)