LIRF, a gene induced during hippocampal long-term potentiation as an immediate-early gene, encodes a novel RING finger protein.
We describe here an LTP-induced gene, LIRF, which encodes a novel protein with RING finger and B30.2 domains in its N- and C-terminal portions, respectively. Each domain is encoded by one exon, suggesting that the organization of the gene was generated by exon shuffling. The amino acid sequences of the mouse, rat, and human LIRF proteins are highly conserved and contain a putative PEST sequence. LIRF is an immediate-early gene in hippocampal granule cells, and its expression is upregulated immediately after the induction of long-lasting long-term potentiation at perforant pathway-dentate gyrus synapses and returns to the basal level within 150 min. A heterologously expressed LIRF protein fused to EGFP localizes specifically to the cytoplasm in COS-7 cells. These findings suggest a possible involvement of LIRF in a limited, early phase of synaptic plasticity.
Matsuo
R
R
Mitsubishi Kagaku Institute of Life Sciences, 11 Minamiooya, Machida, Tokyo 194-8511, Japan.
Asada
A
A
Fujitani
K
K
Inokuchi
K
K
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019556:COS Cells; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D005091:Exons; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C444639:RNF39 protein, human; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C499167:Rnf39 protein, mouse; C499166:Rnf39 protein, rat; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins