title: GFRalpha-4, a new GDNF family receptor.
abstract: GFRalpha-1, GFRalpha-2, and GFRalpha-3 constitute a family of structurally related, glycosyl-phosphatidylinosital-linked, cell surface proteins, two of which, GFRalpha-1 and GFRalpha-2, are components of the receptor complex for the neurotrophic factors GDNF and neurturin, respectively. By screening an embryonic chicken brain cDNA library with a GFRalpha-1 probe at low stringency, we isolated cDNAs encoding an additional member of the GFRalpha family, GFRalpha-4. The nucleotide sequence predicts a 431-amino-acid secreted protein that is more closely related to GFRalpha-1 and GFRalpha-2 than to GFRalpha-3. GFRalpha-4 mRNA is expressed in distinctive patterns in the brain and several other organs and tissues of the chicken embryo. Our findings extend the family of GFRalpha proteins and provide information about the tissues in which GFRalpha-4 may function during development.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, University of St. Andrews, Bute Medical Buildings, St. Andrews, KY16 9TS, Scotland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Doxakis
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Piñón
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strachan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buj-Bello
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Buchman
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C113146:GFR receptor alpha 4, Gallus gallus; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila