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Loss of calcyphosine gene expression in mouse and other rodents
S Clément1, J E Dumont, S Schurmans
1Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, School of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
Abstract:
Calcyphosine-for calcium binding and regulated by cyclic AMP through phosphorylation protein-is a target of both the cyclic AMP and the Ca(+2)-phophatidylinositol cascades first isolated from dog thyroid, and then from rabbit and human brain. Although the exact function of this 24kD protein is unknown, calcyphosine could be implicated in the cross-signaling between these cascades to coordinate cellular proliferation and differentiation. Here, we report the sequence of a pseudogene which is the murine calcyphosine homologue, and demonstrate that it represents the unique sequence homologous to the dog calcyphosine gene in the murine genome. The lack of expression of this murine pseudogene in brain and thyroid-two major sites of dog calcyphosine expression-was extended to 5 other rodents, and suggest the existence of alternative pathway(s) to fill the function of calcyphosine in rodents.
Insights
Calcyphosine, a protein involved in cell signaling, was investigated in rodents. A non-functional pseudogene was found, suggesting alternative pathways compensate for calcyphosine
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Signaling
- Genetics
Background:
- Calcyphosine is a 24kD protein involved in calcium binding and regulated by cyclic AMP.
- It is a target of cyclic AMP and Ca(+2)-phosphatidylinositol cascades.
- Calcyphosine's exact function is unknown but may link these cascades to coordinate cell proliferation and differentiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the sequence of the murine calcyphosine homologue.
- To demonstrate its unique homology to the dog calcyphosine gene in the murine genome.
- To investigate calcyphosine expression in rodents.
Main Methods:
- Sequence analysis of the murine calcyphosine homologue.
- Genomic comparison between murine and canine calcyphosine genes.
- Expression analysis in various rodent tissues.
Main Results:
- A pseudogene representing the murine calcyphosine homologue was identified.
- This pseudogene is the unique sequence homologous to the dog calcyphosine gene in mice.
- The murine pseudogene was not expressed in brain and thyroid, nor in five other rodent species.
Conclusions:
- Rodents possess a non-functional calcyphosine pseudogene.
- The lack of expression suggests alternative pathways fulfill calcyphosine's function in rodents.
- This highlights potential differences in cellular signaling regulation between species.