Isolation and characterization of cDNA for an androgen-regulated mRNA in the flank organ of hamsters.
Flank organs of hamster are useful for studying androgen-dependent growth of hair follicles and sebaceous glands. To elucidate the mechanism of gene expression regulated by androgen, we constructed a cDNA library from flank organs of male hamsters and screened by a differential hybridization method using cDNA probes from normal and castrated males. We isolated a cDNA clone, termed FAR-17a, whose expression was found to be highly sensitive to androgen. FAR-17a mRNA of 1.8 kb was reduced after castration and reappeared after testosterone treatments. Among several tissues examined, FAR-17a gene was expressed at a high level in flank organ and a low level in testis and earlobe. FAR-17a probe detected a few fragments in genomic DNA of hamster, mouse, suncus, pig, and human, suggesting that this gene is phylogenetically conserved. The sequence of FAR-17a cDNA predicts a protein of 231 amino acids (27,216 daltons) having basic properties. The deduced protein has no significant homologies to proteins previously described.
Seki
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Adachi Research Laboratories, Shiseido Research Center, Yokohama, Japan.
Ideta
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Shibuya
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Adachi
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K
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D015698:Genomic Library; D006197:Hair / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D012788:Shrews; D013552:Swine
D000728:Androgens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA