Biomaterial Database

Characterization and regulation in the expression of a gene coding for the intermediate filament protein desmin. 1984

Y G Capetanaki, and J Ngai, and E Lazarides

Using synthetic oligonucleotide probes, we have isolated chicken cDNA clones for the intermediate filament protein desmin. We show that the gene for this protein probably exists as a single copy in the haploid chicken genome and is transcribed into one mature mRNA species of approximately equal to 2.4 kilobases. Expression of this mRNA is tissue-specific, as it is present in high abundance in smooth and skeletal muscle but is absent from erythrocytes, spinal cord, and lens cells. A 10- to 20-fold increase in desmin mRNA is observed in myogenic cells upon fusion, which suggests that the level of expression of the desmin gene and the accumulation of desmin filaments during muscle differentiation is regulated at the transcriptional and/or posttranscriptional level but not at the translational level. Hybridization studies and nucleotide sequence comparison of the cDNAs specific for desmin and for other intermediate filament subunits reveal a region that is highly conserved (80%) among different members of the intermediate filament protein gene superfamily, with the exception of the chicken vimentin gene; this gene appears to be less homologous to the genes for the other chicken intermediate filament subunits than the mammalian vimentin gene is to the genes for other mammalian intermediate filament proteins and to the chicken desmin gene.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007381	Intermediate Filament Proteins	Filaments 7-11 nm in diameter found in the cytoplasm of all cells. Many specific proteins belong to this group, e.g., desmin, vimentin, prekeratin, decamin, skeletin, neurofilin, neurofilament protein, and glial fibrillary acid protein.	Fibroblast Intermediate Filament Proteins,Filament Proteins, Intermediate,Proteins, Intermediate Filament
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D002645	Chickens	Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA.	Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D003893	Desmin	An intermediate filament protein found predominantly in smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle cells. Localized at the Z line. MW 50,000 to 55,000 is species dependent.	Skeletin
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D005796	Genes	A category of nucleic acid sequences that function as units of heredity and which code for the basic instructions for the development, reproduction, and maintenance of organisms.	Cistron,Gene,Genetic Materials,Cistrons,Genetic Material,Material, Genetic,Materials, Genetic
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D014158	Transcription, Genetic	The biosynthesis of RNA carried out on a template of DNA. The biosynthesis of DNA from an RNA template is called REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION.	Genetic Transcription