title: Cloning and expression of a cDNA encoding a mouse brain orphanin FQ/nociceptin precursor.
abstract: By using a reverse transcription-PCR approach we have cloned a peptide precursor from mouse brain which contains the sequence of orphanin FQ/nociceptin. The mouse sequence of orphanin FQ/nociceptin is identical at the amino acid level with that isolated from rat and porcine brain. Northern analysis of the mRNA encoding the precursor reveals a single band of approx. 1 kb, with the highest levels in the brain and much lower levels in kidney and spleen. Southern analysis is consistent with a single gene. The precursor peptide from mouse contains two putative peptides. Upstream from the orphanin FQ/nociceptin is a 41-amino-acid peptide which is almost identical, except for a six-amino-acid insertion, with the corresponding 35-amino-acid peptide predicted from the rat sequence. Interestingly, the mouse contains a triple AEPGAD repeat within this peptide that is not seen in the rat sequence. Downstream from the orphanin FQ/nociceptin sequence is another 17-amino-acid peptide which is identical with that found in the rat.
authors.affiliation: Cotzias Laboratory of Neuro-Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Y X
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Pasternak
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015870:Gene Expression; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000819:agonists; D013552:Swine; D000097629:Nociceptin
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D000097629:Nociceptin