Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding the c-kit receptor of Shiba goats and a novel alanine insertion specific to goats and sheep in the kinase insert region

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta 1997-05, Vol.1352 (2), p.151-155
• Main Authors: Tanaka, Satoshi, Yanagisawa, Naotake, Tojo, Hideaki, Kim, Yong-Jin, Tsujimura, Tohru, Kitamura, Yukihiko, Sawasaki, Toru, Tachi, Chikashi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alanine; Alanine - analysis; Alanine insert; Amino Acid Sequence; amino acid sequences; Animals; Base Sequence; Biological Evolution; Cloning; Cloning, Molecular; DNA, Complementary - genetics; evolution; genbank/d45168; Goat c-kit cDNA; goats; Goats - genetics; insertional mutagenesis; Kinase insert region; Molecular Sequence Data; Nucleotide sequence; nucleotide sequences; Phenotype; phylogeny; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit - genetics; proto-oncogenes; Sequence Alignment; Sheep
• ISSN: 0167-4781; 0006-3002; 1879-2634; 1878-2434
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-4781(97)00055-9

The complete open reading frame (ORF) of the c-kit cDNA was cloned from a cerebellar cDNA library of the Shiba goat ( Capra hircus var Shiba) with the dominant black-eyed white phenotype. The analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed the presence of a single amino acid insertion (alanine) in the kinase insert (KI) region. While the newly found alanine insertion is not correlated with the coat color phenotype of goats, it appears to be characteristic of the c-kit genes in goats and sheep. Although the biological significance of the insert remains to be investigated, its phylogenetically limited distribution will provide us with a useful and interesting tool to analyze the problems of evolution of sheep and goats in bovidae.