Erlectin 1 (ERLEC1)

The interaction required the MRH2 domain and was glycan dependent. When expressed in HeLa cells, erlectin colocalized with the luminal ER protein calnexin . During Xenopus differentiation, erlectin is expressed maternally. Levels decrease during gastrulation and then increase during neurulation where it is expressed in the notochord. Overexpression of erlectin impaired transport of Krm2 to the cell surface, and embryos injected with erlectin mRNA developed normally. However, following injection of antisense oligos to erlectin, tadpoles began to develop abnormally after the late tailbud stage. The phenotype included anterior head defects, shorter and bent tails, and reduced size for axial organs including the notochord and somites. Curiously, antisense-injected embryos could not be rescued by Krm2 mRNA.