COMPARISON OF THE EXPRESSION OF A T-ALPHA-1-NLACZ TRANSGENE AND T-ALPHA-1 ALPHA-TUBULIN MESSENGER-RNA IN THE MATURE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM

We have previously demonstrated that one member of the alpha-tubulin m ultigene family, termed T alpha 1 in rats, is a panneuronal gene that is regulated as a function of neuronal growth and regeneration. Moreov er, 1.1 kb of the 5' upstream region from this gene is sufficient to d irect expression of a marker gene to growing neurons in transgenic mic e. In this report, we have characterized the distribution of the T alp ha 1:nlacZ transgene in the mature central nervous system in two lines of transgenic mice and have compared its expression to that of the en dogenous T alpha 1 alpha-tubulin mRNA. These results demonstrate that the pattern of expression of the T alpha 1:nlacZ transgene is similar to that of T alpha 1 mRNA, with a few notable differences. Furthermore , expression of the transgene and the mRNA within the mature brain is panneuronal and, in many cases, is highest in those populations of neu rons that show some capacity for morphological growth. These results, together with our previous studies on mature regenerating neurons (Glo ster et al. [1994] J. Neurosci. 14:7319-7330; Wu et al. [1994] Soc. Ne urosci. Abstr. 20:542) suggest that the T alpha 1:nlacZ transgene will provide a useful marker of growth-associated gene expression in the m ature nervous system. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.