title: Characterization and developmental regulation of avian corneal beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase mRNA.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Tufts University Medical School, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: C X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gibney
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Marchant
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Birk
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Linsenmayer
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004270:DNA, Circular; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009237:N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase