title: Cloning and expression pattern of connexin39, a new member of the gap junction gene family isolated from the neural tube of chicken embryos.
abstract: In this study, a new gap junction (GJ) connexin (Cx) gene was isolated from the neural tube of chicken (c) embryos (HH21) and cloned by degenerate reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The open reading frame of the gene encodes for a protein of 343 amino acid residues with strong similarity to highly conserved connexin sequences. On the basis of the predicted molecular mass of 39144 kDa, we denominated it as cCx39. Sequence analysis allocated the cCx39 to the alpha-group of connexin gene family. The mRNA expression of cCx39 was detected by RT-PCR and Northern blot in several tissues of chicken, including different parts of central nervous system, heart, liver, kidney, aorta and ovary. In situ hybridisation analysis of chicken brain showed strong expression in neurons of granular layers of cerebellum, optic tectum and ectostriatum. The in situ hybridisation of extracererebral tissues revealed strong expression of cCx39 in the atrium of the heart, the external layer of the aorta and endothelium of biliary vessels; moderate expression was found in the endothelium of the aorta.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiologiche, Università di Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy. cicirata@unict.it
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cicirata
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicotra
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.forename: Rosalba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parenti
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zappalà
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D017630:Connexins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger