title: Identification of testis-specific (Limk2t) and brain-specific (Limk2c) isoforms of mouse LIM-kinase 2 gene transcripts.
abstract: LIM-kinase 1 (LIMK1) and LIM-kinase 2 (LIMK2) are members of a novel serine/threonine kinase subfamily with structural features composed of N-terminal two LIM domains, an internal PDZ-like domain, and a C-terminal protein kinase domain. We recently identified and characterized the mouse Limk2 gene and two Limk2 transcripts (Limk2a and Limk2b) coding for proteins with distinct N-terminal LIM structures. Here we describe two additional transcripts of the mouse Limk2 gene. One is a 1.7-kb transcript, termed Limk2t, which is specifically expressed in the testis and codes for an N-terminally truncated form of LIMK2 consisting of only a part of a PDZ-like domain and a protein kinase domain. The other is a transcript, termed Limk2c, which is specifically expressed in the brain and codes for a protein with a 6-amino-acid insert within the protein kinase domain. Exons specific to the 5'-terminal extra sequence of Limk2t and the insert sequence of Limk2c locate between exons 5-6 and exons 8-9 in the mouse Limk2 gene, respectively. Testis- and brain-specific expression of Limk2t and Limk2c suggests specific roles in these tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ikebe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuno
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons; D015870:Gene Expression; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D054461:Lim Kinases; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011494:Protein Kinases; D054461:Lim Kinases; C515893:Limk1 protein, mouse