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Isolation of ret proto-oncogene cDNA with an amino-terminal signal sequence

M Takahashi1, Y Buma, H Hiai

  • 1Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan.

Oncogene
|June 1, 1989
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified a new ret proto-oncogene cDNA sequence. This revised sequence includes a crucial amino-terminal signal sequence, confirming its role as a cell surface receptor protein.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • The ret proto-oncogene protein functions as a cell surface receptor with tyrosine kinase activity.
  • Previous cDNA sequences lacked a signal sequence, which is characteristic of membrane proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the discrepancy in the ret proto-oncogene cDNA sequence.
  • To identify a functional cDNA clone encoding the ret proto-oncogene receptor.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and sequencing of an additional cDNA clone of the ret proto-oncogene.
  • Comparative nucleotide sequence analysis.

Main Results:

  • A novel cDNA clone was isolated and sequenced.
  • The 5' terminal 330 nucleotides of the new sequence differ from the previously published ret proto-oncogene sequence.
  • The newly identified sequence contains an open reading frame with an amino-terminal signal sequence.

Conclusions:

  • The revised cDNA sequence provides evidence for the ret proto-oncogene as a membrane-bound cell surface receptor.
  • This finding clarifies the molecular characteristics of the ret proto-oncogene protein.

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