A striking organization of a large family of human neural cadherin-like cell adhesion genes.
We have identified 52 novel human cadherin-like genes organized into three closely linked clusters. Comparison of the genomic DNA sequences with those of representative cDNAs reveals a striking genomic organization similar to that of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor gene clusters. The N-terminal extracellular and transmembrane domains of each cadherin protein are encoded by a distinct and unusually large exon. These exons are organized in a tandem array. By contrast, the C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of each protein is identical and is encoded by three small exons located downstream from the cluster of N-terminal exons. This unusual organization has interesting implications regarding the molecular code required to establish complex networks of neuronal connections in the brain and the mechanisms of cell-specific cadherin-like gene expression.
Wu
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Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
Maniatis
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D015820:Cadherins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000235:genetics*; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D015820:Cadherins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger