The effects of Tunicamycin and 2-deoxy-D-glucose on the development ofXenopus laevis embryos.

Tunicamycin and 2-deoxy-D-glucose were applied toXenopus laevis embryos in the first cleavage furrow, blastula and early gastrula stages. No effect was observed with 2-deoxy-D-glucose up to the concentration 0.1 M. The effect of Tunicamycin is dose- and stage-dependent. At the concentration of 5 μg/ml cleaving embryos are arrested at the onset of gastrulation and their cells exhibit decreased intercellular adhesivity, while embryos treated in the blastula and early gastrula stages may develop up to the late neurula and tail-bud stage, respectively. Higher concentrations (up to 20 μg/ml) drastically affect cleavage. Concentrations of 4 to 1 μg/ml allow embryos to develop up to more advanced stages; however, developmental defects are the rule. Concentrations of less than 1 μg/ml do not affect development.