화학공학소재연구정보센터
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol.275, No.1, 180-188, 2000
Alternative exon usage of rat septins
Septins represent a family of phylogenetically conserved proteins required for cytokinesis. Their presence in pre- and postsynaptic neuronal membranes suggests a general function as scaffolds for membrane reorganization. The transcriptional regulation of all septins examined so far is complex, resulting in alternatively spliced variants. We focus here on the rat homologue of the gene for the human septin MSF, a truncated form of which, designated eseptin, had been described previously. It will be shown here that there is an alternative usage of the first exon by two forms, named exon r1a and rib, respectively. Exon r1a, but not exon rib, contains a part of the coding sequence while the start of translation for the remaining coding sequence resides in the second exon. The complete genomic organization was resolved and data on the temporal and spatial expression of this septins are presented.