Characterization and developmental regulation of avian corneal beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase mRNA.
Corneal development involves the synthesis and assembly of a number of specialized extracellular matrices. These matrices have distinctive properties derived from a unique assembly of collagens, proteoglycans and glycoproteins. The synthesis of each of these requires a number of enzymes. By probing a corneal cDNA library for genes that appeared to be up-regulated in cornea we have isolated a cDNA that represents an mRNA encoding the enzyme beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase. In cornea, a major function for this enzyme is likely to be in the synthesis of the keratan sulfate proteoglycan, lumican. Employing quantitative reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction, we have observed that the steady-state level of mRNA for the molecule is elevated during certain stages of corneal development. It is also elevated in corneal fibroblasts in culture that have a greatly decreased synthesis of the mature lumican molecule. These data are consistent with, and complement, studies by others that show a corresponding regulation of the lumican core protein during development and in corneal fibroblast cultures.
Cai
C X
CX
Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Tufts University Medical School, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Gibney
E
E
Gordon
M K
MK
Marchant
J K
JK
Birk
D E
DE
Linsenmayer
T F
TF
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003315:Cornea / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000235:genetics; D015723:Gene Library; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009237:N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*
D017931:DNA Primers; D004270:DNA, Circular; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009237:N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase