Etani Kazuma, Nishikata Takahito
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Konan University, Kobe 658-8501, Japan.
Dev Genes Evol. 2002 Oct;212(9):447-51. doi: 10.1007/s00427-002-0260-1. Epub 2002 Aug 10.
We have cloned a newly identified gene, designated CiNut, C iona i ntestinalis neural-tube-specific gene. CiNut shows weak similarity to known neural receptors such as adrenergic receptors. Moreover, seven transmembrane domains are predicted based on its amino acid sequence. Zygotic expression of CiNut starts at the gastrula stage, and is restricted to the entire neural tube in the neurula- and the tailbud-stage embryos. CiNut is thus thought to be a novel G-protein-coupled receptor important for neural tube formation, and should provide a useful tool for the analysis of the molecular mechanism of neural tube formation.
我们克隆了一个新鉴定的基因，命名为CiNut，即海鞘神经管特异性基因。CiNut与已知的神经受体如肾上腺素能受体有微弱的相似性。此外，根据其氨基酸序列预测有七个跨膜结构域。CiNut的合子表达始于原肠胚阶段，并局限于神经胚和尾芽期胚胎的整个神经管。因此，CiNut被认为是一种对神经管形成很重要的新型G蛋白偶联受体，应为分析神经管形成的分子机制提供一个有用的工具。
