A novel splice variant of the cell adhesion molecule BIG-2 is expressed in the olfactory and vomeronasal neuroepithelia

We have cloned a mouse cDNA encoding a novel truncated form of the gene BIG-2 from the vomeronasal organ. The related proteins BIG-2 and BIG-1 possess a C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor, six immunoglobulin domains and four fibronectin type III repeats. They are related to certain axona...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain research. Molecular brain research. 1997-07, Vol.47 (1), p.345-350
Main Authors: Mimmack, M.L, Saito, H, Evans, G, Bresler, M, Keverne, E.B, Emson, P.C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative Splicing - genetics
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Base Sequence
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal - genetics
Contactins
Epithelium - metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression - genetics
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Molecular Sequence Data
Neurons, Afferent - metabolism
Olfactory Mucosa - metabolism
Olfactory system and olfaction. Gustatory system and gustation
RT-PCR
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
Vomeronasal organ
Vomeronasal Organ - metabolism
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Summary:We have cloned a mouse cDNA encoding a novel truncated form of the gene BIG-2 from the vomeronasal organ. The related proteins BIG-2 and BIG-1 possess a C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor, six immunoglobulin domains and four fibronectin type III repeats. They are related to certain axonal-associated cell adhesion molecules (AxCAMs) exhibiting most similarity to the TAG-1/F3 subgroup of neural cell adhesion molecules. The cDNA we have identified, termed BIG-2A, appears to represent a novel splice variant of BIG-2 possessing six Ig-like domains, a single fibronectin repeat and lacking the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchoring domain (GPI). To determine the expression of this gene, in situ hybridization analysis was performed in adult and developing mice using a riboprobe specific for BIG-2A. Maximum expression was observed in mature sensory cells of the vomeronasal neuroepithelium and a less intense signal was also evident in the olfactory neuroepithelium. These results suggest that alternative splicing of the BIG-2 gene transcript may play an important role in the organization of the vomeronasal and olfactory neuroepithelia.
ISSN:0169-328X
1872-6941
DOI:10.1016/S0169-328X(97)00104-6