The mouse chondroadherin gene: characterization and chromosomal localization.

The mouse chondroadherin gene was isolated from a cosmid genomic library by the use of a rat chondroadherin cDNA probe. Southern blot analysis of mouse genomic DNA revealed a simple pattern of hybridization indicating a single copy gene for chondroadherin. The mouse chondroadherin gene encompasses 4.1 kb and consists of four exons separated by one large intron of 1929 bp followed by two smaller introns of 247 and 225 bp, respectively. Most of the translated region, including the start codon and the main part of a leucine-rich region, is contained within the first exon. Two small exons of 164 and 146 bp encode the rest of the protein. Interestingly, 4 bases from the stop codon, in the 3'-UTR, a third intron is located. A putative promoter region of 669 bp was sequenced and shown to contain a potential TATAA-box signal 29 bp upstream of the transcription start site and several recognition sites for transcription factors. The exon/intron organization of the chondroadherin gene differs from those of the other known genes of the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) family in the extracellular matrix. Taken together with comparison of protein sequences of other members of the LRR family in the extracellular matrix, the data suggest that chondroadherin has evolved along a different pathway. The chondroadherin gene was mapped to mouse chromosome 11, near D11Mit14, by single-strand conformation polymorphism linkage analysis.