Human nonmuscle myosin heavy chain mRNA: generation of diversity through alternative polyadenylylation

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Feb;87(3):1164-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.3.1164.

Abstract

Myosin is a ubiquitous eukaryotic contractile protein that generates the force responsible for such diverse cellular movements as muscle contraction and cytokinesis. Although there have been numerous studies of sarcomeric myosin heavy chain (MHC) genes, no molecular clones have been reported that encode mammalian nonmuscle MHC. This study presents the molecular genetic characterization of a human nonmuscle MHC that is expressed in fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and macrophages. Human nonmuscle MHC amino acids are weakly homologous (33%) to sarcomeric MHC but are approximately 72% identical to smooth muscle MHC. In contrast to vertebrate sarcomeric MHCs, which generate diversity through the expression of members of a multigene family, an alternative polyadenylylation site is used in the nonmuscle MHC gene to generate multiple transcripts that encode the same protein. We have mapped this gene to chromosome 22. It is thus unlinked to either of the sarcomeric MHC gene clusters on human chromosomes 14 and 17.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22
  • DNA / genetics
  • Gene Library
  • Humans
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Muscle, Smooth / metabolism
  • Muscles / metabolism
  • Myosin Subfragments / genetics*
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • Oligonucleotide Probes
  • Poly A / genetics*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics*
  • Software

Substances

  • Myosin Subfragments
  • Oligonucleotide Probes
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Poly A
  • DNA

Associated data

  • GENBANK/M31013