MOLECULAR-CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF MURINE SMOOTH-MUSCLE MYOSIN HEAVY-CHAINS

The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of two isoforms of mou se smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SM1 and SM2) were determined. SM1 (6175 bp) and SM2 (6214 bp) cDNA contained a single open reading fram e that encodes 1972 and 1938 amino acids (227,056 Da and 223,294 Da), respectively. Smooth muscle myosin heavy chain mRNA was expressed high ly in smooth muscle tissue (small intestine) and weakly in heart and l ung. Each of SM1 and SM2 cDNA was transfected and expressed in CHO cel ls. The expressed myosin heavy chains were detected with an antibody r aised against smooth muscle myosin heavy chains and showed the same mo bility as the native smooth muscle myosin heavy chains in SDS-PAGE. (C ) 1997 Academic Press.