Molecular cloning of the gene encoding rabbit tumor necrosis factor

A rabbit genomic DNA library was screened using a cloned cDNA encoding rabbit tumor necrosis factor (TNF) as a probe. The entire gene sequence appears to be contained within a 3.2-kb Eco RI fragment. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of the gene with that of the cDNA showed that the gene consists of four exons. The nucleotide sequence of the rabbit TNF gene is very homologous to that of the human TNF gene. Southern hybridization of the genomic DNAs showed that there is likely only a single TNF gene in each of the rabbit and human genomes.