Finding new genes in the nervous system by cDNA analysis

There are several methods to isolate cDNAs that do not require prior biochemical characterization of their protein products, including isolation of new members of particular protein families based on sequences of known members, selection of specific clones by differential screening, and shotgun analysis of a particular cDNA population. This third approach will produce a huge catalogue of cDNA sequences and anatomical data that will be useful to investigators with diverse interests. Recent methodological advances allow cDNAs to be isolated and sequenced rapidly. These methods, coupled with fast and reliable techniques for in situ hybridization histochemistry, should permit cDNA catalogues to be assembled efficiently.