title: Murine ortholog of ASC, a CARD-containing protein, self-associates and exhibits restricted distribution in developing mouse embryos.
abstract: ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD) was first identified as a cytosolic soluble protein that forms insoluble aggregates and enhances etoposide-induced apoptosis. We have cloned a murine ortholog of ASC (mASC) comprising 193 amino acids with a well-conserved pyrin N-terminal homology domain and caspase recruitment domain (CARD). mASC fused with green fluorescent protein appeared as a speck in transfected COS-7 cells and showed self-association. We analyzed mASC gene expression in developing embryos by in situ hybridization and found it to have a restricted distribution in mouse embryos. At E9.5, mASC was strongly expressed in the telencephalon, thalamic areas of the diencephalon, heart, and liver. Northern blotting analysis revealed that the mASC gene was expressed ubiquitously in multiple organs in adult mice. These findings indicate that mASC shows conservation of not only the primary structure of human ASC but also the ability to aggregate and has some similarity in its distribution to other CARD-containing molecules, including the apoptosis regulator Apaf-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology and Angiology, Second Department of Anatomy, Research Center on Aging and Adaptation, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Asahi 3-1-1, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Masumoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ayukawa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sagara
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D019556:COS Cells; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011485:Protein Binding; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C498534:Pycard protein, mouse