Cloning, sequence, and developmental expression analysis of C4-2, a potential brain tumor-suppressor gene

✍ Scribed by Sehgal, Anil; Ricks, Sherianne; Keener, Cassie; Boynton, Alton L.; Young, Ronald F.; Vermeulen, Sandra S.; Yonemura, Kenneth S.; Kohler, Erik P.; Aldape, Hector C.; Simrell, Charles R.; Murphy, Gerald P.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 866 KB
• Volume: 65
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-4790
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9098(199708)65:4<249::aid-jso5>3.0.co;2-5

✦ Synopsis

Background: Previously, we reported the isolation of C4-2 as a potential tumor suppressor gene in human brain tumors. To understand the function of this gene, we investigated its molecular characterization and expression during development. Methods: Human fetal brain library screening and 5ЈRACE-PCR method was used to isolate the full-length cDNA. The coding region of C4-2 was used for in situ hybridization to study its expression during development.

Results:

We report here the complete sequence of this gene. Sequence analysis indicated that C4-2 has a 94% sequence identity to a family of cAMP-regulated phosphoproteins (ARPP-16/19) in the coding region. C4-2 has a 3.1 Kb long 3ЈUTR with variable identity to ARPP-16 and ARPP-19. Northern blot analysis indicated that C4-2 is expressed at high levels in normal brain compared to other tissues. Zoo blot analysis demonstrated that the coding region of C4-2 is highly conserved among different animals. In situ hybridization using C4-2 coding region demonstrated that it follows a unique expression pattern during mouse brain development. High level of C4-2 expression was also observed in the spinal cord and somites of the developing embryo. Conclusion: Expression analysis during brain development strongly suggests that this family of proteins may play an important role not only in normal functioning of the brain, but also during brain development.