title: In silico cloning of mouse Muc5b gene and upregulation of its expression in mouse asthma model.
abstract: Using a BLAST-searching approach, we identified a mouse expressed sequence tag (EST) clone (AA038672) showing great similarity to the 3' end of the human MUC5B gene. The clone was named "3pmmuc5b-1" after complete nucleotide sequencing (Genbank Accession, AF369933). A subsequent search of the mouse genome database with the 3pmmuc5b-1 sequence identified two overlapping genomic clones (AC020817 and AC020794) that contained the sequence of both 3pmmuc5b-1 and the mouse Muc5ac gene. Like their human homologs, the genomic order of the mouse Muc genes is 5'-Muc5ac-Muc5b-3'. These results suggest that the newly identified EST clone, 3pmmuc5b-1, is part of the 3' portion of the mouse Muc5b gene. In situ hybridization demonstrated that this putative mouse Muc5b message was expressed in a restricted manner in the sublingual gland region of the tongue and the submucosal gland region of the mouse trachea in a normal animal. However, the gene expression was greatly enhanced in airway surface epithelium and the submucosal gland region in ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mice. These results were consistent with previous studies of human airway tissues. We therefore conclude that this newly cloned mouse Muc5b gene could be used as a marker for studying aberrant mucin gene expression in mouse models of various airway diseases.
authors.affiliation: Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California at Davis, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002999:Clone Cells; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009077:Mucins / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012313:RNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D009077:Mucins; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D012313:RNA