title: Genomic structure and alternative splicing of chicken angiopoietin-2.
abstract: Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) prevents endothelial cell apoptosis and promotes blood vessel stability, while angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), a natural antagonist of Ang-1, disrupts blood vessel structure and induces apoptosis. We have sequenced the chicken angiopoietin-2 gene that spans about 46 kb of DNA and is split in 9 exons by 8 introns. Alternative splicing of the gene gives rise to three different species of Ang-2 mRNAs: Ang-2A, Ang-2B, and Ang-2C. The three mRNA isoforms, also present in humans, codify for proteins with an identical fibrinogen-like C-terminal domain and a different coiled-coil N-terminal domain. Ang-2A and particularly Ang-2C are expressed in immature testis and regressed adult testis undergoing vascular remodeling, while their expression is barely detectable in quiescent adult testis. Conversely, Ang-2B is only detectable in adult testis. The new isoforms with truncated amino-terminal domains may modulate the Tie2 receptor during vascular angiogenesis and regression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratori de Genètica Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mezquita
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mezquita
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montserrat
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mezquita
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Francone
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Vilagrasa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mezquita
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002645:Chickens; D004247:DNA; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D017931:DNA Primers; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA