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The murine Wilms tumor suppressor gene (wt1) locus
1Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Toxikologie und Genetik, Postfach 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Gene
|December 6, 2001
Summary
The Wilms tumor suppressor gene (WT1) is vital for organ development. While human WT1 has antisense transcripts, this study found no detectable antisense transcription in mice, suggesting it
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- The Wilms tumor suppressor gene (WT1) is essential for kidney, gonad, and spleen development.
- WT1's role in human diseases and organogenesis is well-established.
- Human and Fugu (pufferfish) WT1 loci have been characterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the murine WT1 locus structure and intron characteristics.
- To create a restriction map of the murine WT1 locus for generating mouse models.
- To investigate strand-specific transcription, including antisense transcripts, at the murine WT1 locus.
Main Methods:
- PAC clone analysis of the murine WT1 locus.
- Characterization of WT1 intron size and exon/intron boundary sequences.
- Examination of strand-specific transcription, including divergent and antisense transcripts.
Main Results:
- Detailed structure of the murine WT1 gene and its nine introns.
- A restriction map of the murine WT1 locus was generated.
- No detectable WT1 antisense transcription was found in mice, unlike in humans.
- Evidence for a divergent transcript near minor WT1 transcriptional initiation sites was observed.
Conclusions:
- The murine WT1 locus structure and intron boundaries were elucidated.
- Antisense transcription of WT1 is not conserved between humans and mice, despite high sequence similarity.
- A divergent transcript near WT1 initiation sites exists in mice.