Analysis of the sequence and embryonic expression of chicken neurofibromin mRNA.
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common inherited disorder that primarily affects tissues derived from the neural crest. Recent identification and characterization of the human NF1 gene has revealed that it encodes a protein (now called neurofibromin) that is similar in sequence to the ras-GTPase activator protein (or ras-GAP), suggesting that neurofibromin may be a component of cellular signal transduction pathways regulating cellular proliferation and/or differentiation. To initiate investigations on the role of the NF1 gene product in embryonic development, we have isolated a partial cDNA for chicken neurofibromin. Sequence analysis reveals that the predicted amino acid sequence is highly conserved between chick and human. The chicken cDNA hybridizes to a 12.5-kb transcript on RNA blots, a mol wt similar to that reported for the human and murine mRNAs. Ribonuclease protection assays indicate that NF1 mRNA is expressed in a variety of tissues in the chick embryo; this is confirmed by in situ hybridization analysis. NF1 mRNA expression is detectable as early as embryonic stage 18 in the neural plate. This pattern of expression may suggest a role for neurofibromin during normal development, including that of the nervous system.
R. S. Dow Neurological Sciences Institute, Good Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center, Portland, OR.
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002642:Chick Embryo; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000378:metabolism; D017253:Neurofibromatoses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D025542:Neurofibromin 1; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism
D025542:Neurofibromin 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012260:Ribonucleases