title: Low levels of GRP-Ca expression in transgenic mice.
abstract: The GRP-Ca gene of the rat encodes a member of the glutamine/glutamic-acid-rich protein (GRP) family. This gene is expressed in a highly tissue-specific fashion, with transcription being found only in the acinar cells of the submandibular gland (SMG). To begin to define the cis-acting elements governing GRP-Ca expression, we constructed transgenic mice containing the rat GRP-Ca gene plus 9.5 kb of 5' genomic sequence and 1 kb of 3 genomic sequence. Expression of GRP-Ca was detectable in progeny from only 1 of 3 independent founders. Expression levels of the transgenic GRP-Ca were much lower than the native GRP-Ca found in the rat SMG. Furthermore, GRP-Ca in transgenic mice was not tissue-specifically expressed, being found in both the SMG/SLG complex and the liver. These results indicate that the genomic region of GRP-Ca included in these transgenic mice is not sufficient to confer the high levels of tissue-specific expression seen in the rat.
authors.affiliation: Center for Oral Biology, Aab Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY 14642, USA. Kelly_TenHagen@urmc.rochester.edu
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Ten Hagen
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Balys
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015870:Gene Expression; D007536:Isomerism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C071626:Grpca protein, rat; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D012313:RNA