title: Genomic organization and tissue-specific expression of rat urocortin.
abstract: The genomic organization of rat urocortin was determined using both cDNA and liver genomic DNA as templates for polymerase chain reactions. A single intron of 261 bp was found upstream to the ATG start codon, and the whole urocortin coding sequence was shown to be contained in a single exon. Relying on these results, oligonucleotide primers were designed, which can differentiate genomic DNA contamination from cDNA-derived signals in a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Tissue screening for urocortin expression revealed that the mid-brain is the major site of urocortin mRNA expression, and that other peripheral organs, including lymphoid tissues and peripheral blood lymphocytes, do not produce urocortin.
authors.affiliation: Protein Engineering Laboratory, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yusong, P.O. Box 115, 305-600, Taejon, South Korea.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007438:Introns; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D054832:Urocortins
chemical_list: D054832:Urocortins; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone