Cloning and expression pattern of connexin39, a new member of the gap junction gene family isolated from the neural tube of chicken embryos.
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.
Cicirata
Federico
F
Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiologiche, Università di Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy. cicirata@unict.it
Nicotra
Annalisa
A
Cicero
Deborah
D
Parenti
Rosalba
R
Zappalà
Agata
A
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
D030161:Avian Proteins; D017630:Connexins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger