title: Mammalian fat3: a large protein that contains multiple cadherin and EGF-like motifs.
abstract: Using computer-based, motif-trap screening, we have identified a third member of the mammalian fat family, fat3. Human and rat fat3 are also similar to the Drosophila tumor suppressor gene fat. The rat fat3 gene encodes a large protein of 4555 amino acids with 34 cadherin domains, 4 epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like motifs, a laminin A-G motif, and a cytoplasmic domain. Each member of the fat family is differentially expressed in the central nervous system during development. While both fat3 mRNA and fat1 mRNA are abundantly expressed in the fetal brain, the expression of MEGF1/fat2 mRNA is restricted to the postnatal cerebellum. fat3 mRNA and protein expression in the brain peaks at E15 during embryonic development. During this time, robust fat3 immunoreactivity is also observed in the spinal cord. These data suggest that the fat3 protein plays an important role in axon fasciculation and modulation of the extracellular space surrounding axons during embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Gene Research, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Chiba-ken, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakayama
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015820:Cadherins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C448779:FAT3 protein, human; C486725:Fat3 protein, rat; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor