Developmental and regional expression of three new members of the ras-gene family in the mouse brain.
We have examined the expression in the mouse nervous system of three new members of the ras protooncogene family: rab1, rab2, and rab3. Each of these genes was transcribed into messenger RNAs with different molecular weights. These transcripts has specific developmental and regional patterns of expression. In particular, for the three genes, the ratio between the heavy and light mRNAs depended strongly on developmental stage and brain region. The use of pure neuronal and glial cultures revealed that the high molecular weight transcripts were enriched in neurons and that, in the case of rab2 and rab3, their expression increased with neuronal differentiation. These results are discussed considering the sequence identities between these genes and the yeast YPTI and sec-4 genes, which are known to be implicated in post-Golgi vesicular transport and cytoskeletal stabilization. We propose that the rab genes might be of importance in the regulation of these two processes within the developing and adult nervous system.
Ayala
J
J
INSERM U114, Chaire de Neuropharmacologie, Collège de France, Paris.
Olofsson
B
B
Touchot
N
N
Zahraoui
A
A
Tavitian
A
A
Prochiantz
A
A
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D011905:Genes, ras; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins