title: The identification and expression of heme oxygenase-2 alternative transcripts in the mouse.
abstract: Murine heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) cDNA sequences were determined through the assembly of mouse expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences using the rat HO-2 sequence as a template. The sequence analysis revealed two mRNA isoforms, probably arising through alternative splicing, which differed in their 5'-untranslated region (UTR), and were named HO-2a and HO-2b. One EST sequence included an extended 3'-UTR and suggested there may be a choice of poly-adenylation (poly-A) signal sequence. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) suggested that HO-2a mRNA may be specifically expressed in the testis, while HO-2b mRNA was present in all tissues analysed. Furthermore, HO-2a and HO-2b transcripts were both found to include the extended 3'-UTR, but these transcripts were detected only in the testis. Northern analysis of a greater range of tissues confirmed the testis-specific expression of HO-2a mRNA and suggested that the transcripts which included the extended 3'-UTR were a small minority of the HO-2 mRNA population. These alternative murine HO-2 transcripts suggest that mechanisms such as mRNA transport, translational efficiency or mRNA turnover may be implicated in the regulation of HO-2 gene expression, most notably in the testis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology, St. Bartholomew's and Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK. l.gibbs@mds.qmw.ac.uk
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000235:genetics*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); C105245:heme oxygenase-2