The reeler gene encodes a protein with an EGF-like motif expressed by pioneer neurons.
We have identified a strong candidate cDNA for the mouse reeler gene. This 5 kb transcript encodes a 99.4 kD protein consisting of 881 amino acids and possessing two EGF-like motifs. We assayed two independent mutant alleles--'Jackson reeler', which has a deletion of the entire gene, and 'Orleans reeler' which exhibits a 220 bp deletion in the open reading frame, including the second EGF-like motif and resulting in a frame shift. In situ hybridization reveals that the transcript is detected exclusively in the pioneer neurons which guide neuronal cell migration along the radial array. Our findings offer an explanation for how the reeler mutant phenotype causes a disturbance of the complex architecture of the neuronal network.
Hirotsune
S
S
Genome Science Laboratory, Tsukuba Life Science Center, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Ibaraki, Japan.
Takahara
T
T
Sasaki
N
N
Hirose
K
K
Yoshiki
A
A
Ohashi
T
T
Kusakabe
M
M
Murakami
Y
Y
Muramatsu
M
M
Watanabe
S
S
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases