Avivi A, Joel A, Nevo E
Laboratory of Molecular Evolution of Animals, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel.
Gene. 2001 Feb 7;264(1):45-9. doi: 10.1016/s0378-1119(00)00603-x.
Blind subterranean mole rats, Spalax ehrenbergi, retain a subcutaneous, degenerated eye, which is visually non-functional but which does function in circadian entrainment. Crystallins, members of the small heat shock protein family, constitute approximately 90% of the water-soluble proteins of the transparent eye lens and are crucial for its optical properties, but they are also expressed in other tissues. In our attempt to understand the role of the eye in the blind mole-rat, we now describe the cloning, sequencing, and expression of the cDNA of alpha-B-Crystallin from two species of Spalax (S. galili and S. Judaei, with diploid chromosome numbers 2n=52 and 60, respectively). Spalax alpha- B-Crystallin is highly conserved. It is expressed in many tissues of Spalax, among them Spalax eye. The sequence of the cDNA of alpha-B-Crystallin in the eye and in the heart of Spalax is identical. Further studies are essential to clarify the role of this gene in the lens of an atrophied eye of a visually blind mammal.
盲鼹形鼠（Spalax ehrenbergi）保留了一个皮下退化的眼睛，它在视觉上没有功能，但在昼夜节律调节中发挥作用。晶状体蛋白是小热休克蛋白家族的成员，约占透明晶状体水溶性蛋白质的90%，对其光学特性至关重要，但它们也在其他组织中表达。为了理解眼睛在盲鼹形鼠中的作用，我们现在描述了来自两种盲鼹形鼠（加利利盲鼹形鼠和犹太盲鼹形鼠，其二倍体染色体数分别为2n = 52和60）的α-B-晶状体蛋白cDNA的克隆、测序和表达。盲鼹形鼠的α-B-晶状体蛋白高度保守。它在盲鼹形鼠的许多组织中表达，包括盲鼹形鼠的眼睛。盲鼹形鼠眼睛和心脏中α-B-晶状体蛋白cDNA的序列是相同的。进一步的研究对于阐明该基因在视觉失明哺乳动物萎缩眼睛的晶状体中的作用至关重要。
