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A single mouse alpha-amylase gene specifies two different tissue-specific mRNAs.

R A Young, O Hagenbüchle, U Schibler

|February 1, 1981

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Mouse salivary gland and liver alpha-amylase messenger RNAs (mRNAs) differ only in their 5' untranslated regions. These distinct sequences originate from the same gene (Amy1A), indicating differential transcription or processing in specific tissues.

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Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Biochemistry

Background:

Alpha-amylase is crucial for carbohydrate digestion.
Tissue-specific expression of alpha-amylase mRNA occurs in mouse salivary glands and liver.
These mRNAs exhibit distinct 5' untranslated sequences.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the genomic origin of tissue-specific alpha-amylase mRNA variants.
To determine if different DNA sequences or gene rearrangements account for tissue-specific expression.
To elucidate the transcriptional regulation of the alpha-amylase gene (Amy1A) in different mouse tissues.

Main Methods:

Genomic cloning and DNA sequencing of alpha-amylase gene regulatory regions.
Comparative analysis of 5' untranslated sequences between liver and salivary gland alpha-amylase mRNAs.
Southern blot analysis to detect DNA rearrangements in different tissues.

Main Results:

Identical DNA sequences specify the common regions of both mRNA types.
Distinct genomic DNA sequences, located upstream, encode the unique 5' untranslated regions.
Liver mRNA's 5' sequence originates 4.5 kb upstream, while salivary gland's originates 7.5 kb upstream.
No gross DNA rearrangement was detected in sperm, salivary gland, or liver.

Conclusions:

Both salivary gland and liver alpha-amylase mRNAs are transcribed from the same gene (Amy1A).
Tissue-specific expression is achieved through differential transcription initiation or alternative RNA processing.
Gene regulation, not gene rearrangement, underlies the distinct expression patterns of alpha-amylase in mouse tissues.