Abundance of mRNAs encoding urea cycle enzymes in fetal and neonatal mouse liver.
The relative abundances of mRNAs encoding the five urea cycle enzymes during development of mouse liver have been determined and compared with those of mRNAs encoding four other liver-specific proteins (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, tyrosine aminotransferase, alpha-fetoprotein, and albumin). Urea cycle enzyme mRNAs in fetal liver are expressed at 2-14% of the abundance in adult liver as early as 6 days before birth. Expression of the urea cycle enzyme mRNAs is not coordinate during the fetal and neonatal period. However, profiles of three urea cycle enzyme mRNAs are quite similar to that of alpha-fetoprotein mRNA, suggesting the possibility of a common response to regulatory signals during fetal development. With the exception of ornithine transcarbamylase mRNA, the urea cycle enzyme mRNAs have been shown previously to be inducible by cAMP and glucocorticoids. However, only argininosuccinate lyase mRNA exhibits any significant change in abundance at birth, resembling postnatal expression of tyrosine aminotransferase mRNA. The results indicate that the urea cycle enzyme mRNAs are potentially useful markers for elucidating various features of hepatocyte differentiation in mammals.
Morris
S M
SM
Department of Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.
Kepka
D M
DM
Sweeney
W E
WE
Avner
E D
ED
D000418:Albumins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001119:Arginase / Q000235:genetics; D001124:Argininosuccinate Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D002222:Carbamoyl-Phosphate Synthase (Ammonia) / Q000235:genetics; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D051379:Mice; D010729:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D014444:Tyrosine Transaminase / Q000235:genetics; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics
D000418:Albumins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D014508:Urea; D014444:Tyrosine Transaminase; D001119:Arginase; D010729:Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP); D002222:Carbamoyl-Phosphate Synthase (Ammonia); D001124:Argininosuccinate Synthase