IDENTIFICATION OF GENES ASSOCIATED WITH MYOCARDIAL DEVELOPMENT

We are conducting a cDNA sequencing project using human heart cDNA lib raries to study expression of genes in the human heart. From our human heart cDNA libraries, we have accumulated over 10 000 partial cDNA se quences (expressed sequence tags-ESTs) representing both the previousl y uncharacterized and known transcripts expressed in the human heart ( Liew et al., 1994). Currently, we have applied dot blot hybridization as a rapid approach to determine the genes putatively involved in myoc ardial development. Differential expression patterns of gene transcrip ts represented by the cDNA clones can be revealed by comparing dot int ensities on the autoradiographs, after hybridization with cDNA probes generated from neonatal and adult heart mRNAs. cDNA clones (1505) have been processed by dot blot hybridization, of which 924 and 581 repres ented novel and known transcripts respectively. Among the screened clo nes, about 1.4% were found to be differentially expressed during heart development. Further verification was accomplished by Northern blot a nalysis. By grouping the 581 clones corresponding to known transcripts , a study of the gene expression profile of the heart in the cardiovas cular system can be achieved. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited