title: Structure and expression of the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) gene in a human tumor.
abstract: To identify the VIP biosynthetic pathways, we have isolated the human VIP gene, using synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides. These specific hybridization probes were constructed according to the neuroblastoma VIP-cDNA sequence and contained up to 39 bases. The gene structure was deduced by direct chemical nucleotide sequencing. Six exons were thus far discovered; among them two short exons, one encoding VIP and the second encoding PHM-27 (a peptide having a N-terminal histidine and C-terminal methionine amide, closely related in sequence and activity to VIP). As a model system for VIP gene expression, we used a human buccal tumor producing elevated amounts of VIP. In these cells, a major transcript of the VIP-gene was identified as a long RNA containing intron sequences. The occurrence of elevated quantities of a high molecular weight, intron containing, gene transcript which is not processed directly into mature RNA suggests that VIP gene expression may be regulated at the RNA processing level.
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide