Identification of a Kin nuclear protein immunologically related to RecA protein in the rat CNS

A polypeptide, called Kin, has been identified in cells of the central nervous system (CNS) by using antibodies raised against RecA protein of E. coli and by in situ hybridization with identified cDNA. RecA protein is a recombination enzyme associated with DNA repair. The RecA cross-reacting polypeptide was immunocytochemically demonstrated in the nuclei of various cells of adult rats. Following Western blot analysis using anti-RecA antibodies, the Kin protein showed a band with an apparent molecular weight of 41 kDa. Double labelling experiments, using in situ hybridization of Kin-17 mRNA with serotonin immunocytochemistry, demonstrated a cytoplasmic distribution of radiolabelling indicating the translation of this messenger RNA in serotonergic neurons. These data indicate the presence of a Kin nuclear protein in the CNS and suggest that neurons may possess some DNA-repair pathways analogous to those described in bacteria.