Molecular cloning of the chicken trkA and its expression in early peripheral ganglia.
The neurotrophin tyrosine kinase receptors trkA, trkB, and trkC have been isolated and sequenced from several mammalian species. Their cognate ligands nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) act as survival and trophic factors for neurons in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). In this study we have focused on the isolation and expression of the chicken trkA homologue. In addition to a near full-length cDNA sequence described, including an extracellular six amino-acid motif earlier found in neuronal TrkA in human and rat, a novel insert of 150 base pairs (bp) between subdomains IX and X in the otherwise well-conserved intracellular kinase domain is reported. Phylogenetic analysis showed the relationship between chicken trkA and the mammalian trkA receptors. Comparisons of the extracellular domains showed some amino-acid motifs of putative NGF binding function to be well conserved in chicken TrkA. The early expression of trkA mRNA, including the alternatively spliced insert form, was localized by in situ hybridization. As early as embryonal day 3 (E3), trkA mRNA is expressed in the condensing dorsal root ganglia, and at E4 distinct trkA mRNA expression appears in the primary sympathetic chain ganglia. Finally, using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) approach, we found that among several tested growth factors only fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) upregulated trkA mRNA expression in E9 sympathetic ganglion explants. This upregulation of trkA was corroborated by subsequent NGF-stimulated fiber outgrowth.
Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University, Sweden.
A
A
Bäckström
S
S
Söderström
A
A
Kylberg
T
T
Ebendal
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007536:Isomerism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D020813:Receptor, trkB; D020812:Receptor, trkC; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D020813:Receptor, trkB; D020812:Receptor, trkC