Alternative transcriptional initiation and alternative use of polyadenylation signals in the alphaB-crystallin gene expressed in different chicken tissues

Overexpression of alphaB-crystallin is associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases and abnormal cell growth patterns. To study the mechanisms involved in the control of the transcriptional activity of the gene we have characterized its expression in different chicken tissues. The sequence of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Gene 1997-03, Vol.187 (2), p.253-257
Main Authors: Macip, S, Mezquita, C, Mezquita, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Base Sequence
Biopolymers - genetics
Chick Embryo
Chickens - genetics
Crystallins - genetics
DNA, Complementary
Gene Expression
Humans
Male
Molecular Sequence Data
Poly A - metabolism
Polyubiquitin
Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
Testis - metabolism
Tissue Distribution
Transcription, Genetic
Ubiquitins - genetics
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Summary:Overexpression of alphaB-crystallin is associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases and abnormal cell growth patterns. To study the mechanisms involved in the control of the transcriptional activity of the gene we have characterized its expression in different chicken tissues. The sequence of the alphaB-crystallin cDNA isolated from chicken testis and 6-day-old chick embryo is highly homologous to the duck alphaB-crystallin cDNA and differs from the previously reported chicken lens alphaB-crystallin cDNA in the 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR) and in one amino acid of the coding sequence. Four forms of the alphaB-crystallin cDNA detected in chicken testes arise from the use of alternative transcription initiation sites and alternative polyadenylation signals. The two principal hybridizing bands found in lens and embryonic tissues possess a short 5'-UTR and differ in the length of the 3'-UTR. Forms with longer 5'-UTR are present in testis, muscle, and heart. The use of different start sites and polyadenylation signals could modulate transcriptional activity and the stability of the messages. The expression of the alphaB-crystallin gene decreases from day 6 to day 8 of chick embryogenesis, in parallel with the expression of the polyubiquitin gene UbII.
ISSN:0378-1119