title: Characterization of brain ecto-apyrase: evidence for only one ecto-apyrase (CD39) gene.
abstract: A rat brain cDNA coding for ecto-(Ca,Mg)-apyrase activity was isolated using human CD39 cDNA and functionally expressed in COS-7 cells. The gene codes for a protein with high similarity to human (75% identity) and murine (90% identity) CD39. It is expressed in primary neurons and astrocytes in cell culture as well as in kidney, liver, muscle and spleen. Southern analysis of the mouse genome suggests that there may be a single copy of the ecto-apyrase gene. Interestingly, the human CD39 gene cytologically co-localizes with the susceptibility gene involved in human partial epilepsy with audiogenic symptoms; such a coincidence is consistent with reports on the deficiency of ecto-apyrase activity in the brains of humans with temporal lobe epilepsy and in those of mice with audiogenic seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guidotti
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D001081:Apyrase / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C027201:ectoATPase; D001081:Apyrase