Genomic characterisation, chromosomal assignment and in vivo localisation of the canine high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) gene.
BACKGROUND
The high mobility group A1 proteins (HMGA1a/HMGA1b) are highly conserved between mammalian species and widely described as participating in various cellular processes. By inducing DNA conformation changes the HMGA1 proteins indirectly influence the binding of various transcription factors and therefore effect the transcription regulation. In humans chromosomal aberrations affecting the HMGA1 gene locus on HSA 6p21 were described to be the cause for various benign mesenchymal tumours while high titres of HMGA1 proteins were shown to be associated with the neoplastic potential of various types of cancer. Interestingly, the absence of HMGA1 proteins was shown to cause insulin resistance and diabetes in humans and mice. Due to the various similarities in biology and presentation of human and canine cancers the dog has joined the common rodent animal model for therapeutic and preclinical studies. Accordingly, the canine genome was sequenced completely twice but unfortunately this could not solve the structure of canine HMGA1 gene.


RESULTS
Herein we report the characterisation of the genomic structure of the canine HMGA1 gene consisting of 7 exons and 6 introns spanning in total 9524 bp, the in vivo localisation of the HMGA1 protein to the nucleus, and a chromosomal assignment of the gene by FISH to CFA12q11. Additionally, we evaluated a described canine HMGA1 exon 6 SNP in 55 Dachshunds.


CONCLUSIONS
The performed characterisations will make comparative analyses of aberrations affecting the human and canine gene and proteins possible, thereby providing a basis for revealing mechanisms involved in HMGA1 related pathogenesis in both species.
Beuing
Claudia
C
Clinic for Small Animals and Research Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hanover, Germany. claudia.beuing@tiho-hannover.de
Soller
Jan T
JT
Muth
Michaela
M
Wagner
Sigfried
S
Dolf
Gaudenz
G
Schelling
Claude
C
Richter
Andreas
A
Willenbrock
Saskia
S
Reimann-Berg
Nicola
N
Winkler
Susanne
S
Nolte
Ingo
I
Bullerdiek
Jorn
J
Murua Escobar
Hugo
H
D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D025741:HMGA1a Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D025741:HMGA1a Protein; D004247:DNA