Genomic organization and expression of the mouse Brca2 gene.
A mutation of the Brca2 gene product is responsible for a large proportion of the inherited breast cancers. Here, we have demonstrated that the mouse Brca2 gene is composed of 27 exons and 26 introns, spanning approximately 48 kbp, almost all intron-exon junctions being classical. The overall mouse Brca2 gene structure is highly similar in the coding sequences to that of the human gene. The predicted 11-kb transcript is predominantly present in testis, spleen, thymus, epididymis, and seminal vesicles. A smaller-size, strong positive hybridization signal, which was obtained by using 5' end exons as probes, is ubiquitously observed in mouse tissues. The exact origin and function of this small transcript is currently unknown. The transcription start site of this gene has been identified at approximately 300 bp upstream from the translation initiation codon, and the first 148 bp proximal TATA-less promoter region is sufficient to activate maximal transcription of this gene in mammary cells.
Laboratoire de Virologie Moléculaire--Faculté de Médecine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 614, 808 route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
Nathalie
N
Callens
Martine
M
Dumont
Agnès
A
Begue
Carine
C
Lint
Jean-Luc
JL
Baert
Jacques
J
Simard
Yvan
Y
de Launoit
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D024363:Transcription Initiation Site
D024682:BRCA2 Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger