Does the AD7c-NTP locus encode a protein?
AD7c-NTP, the only known protein entirely encoded by tandem and nested cassettes of Alu repetitive elements, is reportedly over-expressed in brains of Alzheimer's disease patients [de la Monte et al., J. Clin. Invest. 15 (1997)]. Based on these findings a commercial diagnostic assay ("7c Gold"/"AlzheimAlert" ) has been developed. We analyzed the published cDNA sequence and compared it to corresponding EST clones as well as the genomic sequences of human and chimpanzee. We come to the conclusion that the existence of the gene and in particular the predicted protein is inconsistent with EST and genomic data. Previously published data need to be reassessed.
Kriegs
Jan Ole
JO
Institute of Experimental Pathology, ZMBE, University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 56, Münster, Germany.
Schmitz
Jürgen
J
Makalowski
Wojciech
W
Brosius
Jürgen
J
D020087:Alu Elements; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D016415:Sequence Alignment
C109804:AD7c-NTP; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins