Expression of tropomyosin genes during the development of the rat cerebellum

The expression of the tropomyosin genes in the rat nervous system was examined during the postnatal development of the cerebellum, using human-specific alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tropomyosin cDNA probes and rat-specific alpha-, beta-, and delta-tropomyosin oligonucleotide probes. The beta- and gamma-genes do not seem to be expressed in the rat brain. The delta-tropomyosin gene produces two mRNAs: a major one of 2.4 kb, which is highly concentrated during the first postnatal week and then decreases fourfold in level until the age of 35 days, and a minor one of 2 kb, with the same developmental profile as the 2.4-kb mRNA. A 3-kb mRNA is expressed by the alpha-tropomyosin gene and is characteristic of the mature rat. The expression of the tropomyosin genes during the development of the rat cerebellum does not seem to be regulated through alternative splicing but rather implies the differential expression of two different isogenes. The multiple isoforms of tropomyosin produced during neuronal differentiation may be intimately involved in the regulation of the organization and function of actin microfilaments.