Xenopus oocyte microinjection: From gene to protein

This chapter discusses the types of experimental protocols, which are exploited in the oocyte expression system. The chapter highlights some novel approaches to Xenopus laevis oocyte microinjection, which are pushing forward the frontiers of molecular neurobiology. As a preliminary step in molecular cloning studies, the microinjection of total poly(A)⁺ mRNA from tissue homogenates into Xenopus oocytes serves to provide evidence for the presence of translatable mRNA encoding the desired polypeptide while establishing the ability of the oocyte to express the biologically active protein. The incalculable contribution of Xenopus oocyte microinjection methods to the rapid progress in molecular and cellular biology can be seen in its application as a translation system; the applications of oocyte microinjection as a heterologous expression system will continue to grow in number and scope.