title: The untranslated first exon 'exon 0S' of the rat estrogen receptor (ER) gene.
abstract: Recently, we have isolated the untranslated first exon 'exon ON' of the rat estrogen receptor (ER) gene from the liver by the use of the 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RACE) method. To investigate the existence of other untranslated first exon(s), we further analyzed the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of ER mRNA in the rat liver in this study. Total RNA from the livers of 8-week-old male Wistar rats was subjected to 5'-RACE with the antisense primers located in exon 1 of the rat ER gene. The inserts of four clones (clones 3, 4, 7 and 8) were sequenced. The nucleotide sequences of the clones revealed the existence of a previously unidentified untranslated first exon (we termed it 'exon OS') which was spliced onto exon I of the rat ER mRNA. The distribution of ER mRNA containing 'exon OS' (ER mRNA (OS-1)) in several brain regions and various peripheral tissues of 8-week-old male and female Wistar rats was further analyzed by the use of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. ER mRNA (OS-1) was found to be widely distributed in the rat brain and peripheral tissues. The distribution of the message was different from that of ER mRNA containing exon 0 (the first reported 5'-UTR form of rat ER mRNA) or of ER mRNA with exon ON which was reported in our recent report. These results indicate that (1) 'exon OS' is a novel untranslated first exon of the rat ER gene, (2) rat ER mRNAs possess at least three forms of 5'-UTRs which are exon 0, exon ON, and exon OS, (3) the tissue specific expression of ER is regulated, at least in part, by the usage of differential promoters in the rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamanashi Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamada-Mouri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen