Developmental and tissue distribution of expression of nonmuscle and smooth muscle isoforms of myosin light chain kinase.
Using a combination of Northern and Western blotting and RT-PCR, we demonstrate the existence of a high molecular mass MLCK, which is expressed during chicken embryogenesis. It is expressed in developing smooth muscle containing tissues, and is detected at low concentrations in adult tissues. Direct sequencing of the RT-PCR product from embryonic tissue RNA revealed that the embryonic, high molecular mass MLCK is indeed the previously cloned "nonmuscle MLCK". Therefore, the high molecular mass MLCK should be termed embryonic/non-muscle MLCK isoform. Curiously, cultured embryonic gizzard and vascular smooth muscle cells express the lower molecular mass smMLCK protein, albeit at lower levels than in the in vivo tissues.
Fisher
S A
SA
Division of Cardiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Ikebe
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M
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005895:Gizzard, Avian / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000201:enzymology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009219:Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase