Chicken neuronal acetylcholine receptor alpha 2-subunit gene exhibits neuron-specific expression in the brain and spinal cord of transgenic mice.
Transgenic mice carrying the complete structural gene of the alpha 2 subunit of the chicken neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and 7 kilobase pairs (kbp) of 5' upstream and 3 kbp of 3' downstream sequences have been generated. The transgene was stably integrated in transgenic lines and transmitted to their progeny. Avian transgene expression was predominant in the central nervous system as detected by specific alpha 2-subunit cDNA amplification. Moreover, in at least two independent mouse lines, its expression appeared to be neuron-specific and reproducibly restricted to subregions in the brain and spinal cord, as revealed by in situ hybridization histochemistry. Most cranial motor nuclei were positive, and several of the alpha 2-subunit transgene-expressing structures corresponded to cholinergic areas in rodents. This study reveals that regulatory mechanisms giving rise to neuronal-specific gene expression have been conserved at least in part between birds and mammals.
Daubas
P
P
Unité Associée D1284, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Département des Biotechnologies, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Salmon
A M
AM
Zoli
M
M
Geoffroy
B
B
Devillers-Thiéry
A
A
Bessis
A
A
Médevielle
F
F
Changeux
J P
JP
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002645:Chickens; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015870:Gene Expression; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000235:genetics*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D004247:DNA