[Cloning and sequencing of the gene for premature beta nerve growth factor]

The entire coding sequence of premature nerve growth factor (NGF) beta subunit was amplified from Genomic DNA extracted from peripheral white blood cells of Chinese by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were cloned into a premade T-vector (linearized plasmid pBluescript II SK (+) with a T base at 3' terminal), followed by automatic sequencing with double strand plasmids. The nucleotide sequence coding for the mature NGF is the same as that reported by Europeans, but there is a base difference within the proper region, resulting in an amino acid replacement in premature NGF.