Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Why Quantification Matters: Characterization of Phenotypes at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction
Published on: May 12, 2016
Structural diversity despite strong evolutionary conservation in the 5'-untranslated region of the P-type dystrophin
H Abdulrazzak1, N Noro, J P Simons
1Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, NW3 2PF, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Analysis of the 5'-flanking regions of the Purkinje (P-) dystrophin genes and mRNAs in different species revealed strong sequence conservation but functional diversity. Multiple transcription initiation sites were identified in cerebella and muscles, tissues expressing P-dystrophin. The predominant initiation site was conserved, with another muscle-specific site located upstream. Despite sequence homology, significant tissue- and species-specific structural diversity in the P-type 5'-ends exists, including alternative splicing within the 5'-untranslated region combined with alternative splicing of intron 1. One amino terminus is conserved in mammals and, to a lesser extent, in chicken. However, alternative usage of ATG codons may result in a choice of N-termini or translation of short upstream ORFs in different species. Promoter activity of a fragment upstream of the cap site was shown by transient expression in myoblasts and in vivo following intramuscular injection. It is tissue- and developmentally regulated. Analysis of promoter deletions suggests the existence of negative regulatory elements in the proximal region.
Related Concept Videos
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
In contrast, regions which code...
Conserved Binding Sites
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally analyses the...
Master Transcription Regulators
Multi-species Conserved Sequences
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved DNA...
Exon Recombination
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
General Transcription Factors

