[Identification and characterization of alternativly splicing variants for murine mater gene]

Mater encoding an oocyte-specific autoantigen,and is associated with premature autoimmune ovarian dysgenesis (AOD) in mouse. Based on RT-PCR, cDNA cloning, screening, sequencing and analysis, we have detected a total of four Mater splice variants, designated as variant B, E, F and G. All these splicing forms are in frame in terms of expected protein products. Among these, B was consistent with the previous report, whereas E, F, G belong to novel splice variants that have not been reported previously. Variant E lacks exon 6, variant F both lacks exon 10 and retains a part of intron 8, variant G lacks part of exon 14, and variant H lacks part of exon 13. The cDNA sequences at all the exon-intron boundaries confirms to the "GT-AG" splicing rule. Variant B, E, F exist in all the four strains. Variant G exists only in SWR/J. According to the cDNA sequences of these four splice variants, amimo acid sequences of the corresponding expected protein isoforms were deduced, and their potential functional effects were predicted in this thesis. Further identification and characterization of these expected protein isoforms would provide valuable information for their functional importance.