title: Comparative analysis of the natriuretic peptide precursor gene cluster in vertebrates reveals loss of ANF and retention of CNP-3 in chicken.
abstract: We identified and characterized the chicken natriuretic peptide precursor gene cluster and found its organization to be highly conserved compared with the mammalian Nppb-Nppa cluster. However, phylogenetic analysis indicated that the putative chicken natriuretic peptide precursor genes are the homologues of CNP-3 and Nppb, respectively. Comparative expression analysis revealed that, in human, mouse, and rat hearts, Nppb is a novel marker for the differentiating working myocardium. Its expression pattern is strikingly similar to that of Nppa before birth, and diverges only after birth. In contrast, whereas the chicken Nppb gene expression profile resembled that of mammalian Nppb, the CNP-3 gene showed very limited expression in the heart, not resembling the pattern of either Nppa or Nppb. These results show that, in chicken, the Nppa gene has been lost from the natriuretic peptide precursor gene cluster, whereas the CNP-3 gene has been retained.
authors.affiliation: Experimental and Molecular Cardiology Group, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arjan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Houweling
authors.forename: Semir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Somi
authors.forename: Maarten P G
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Massink
authors.forename: Martien A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Groenen
authors.forename: Antoon F M
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Moorman
authors.forename: Vincent M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Christoffels
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics*; D019295:Computational Biology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor