GENETIC-LINKAGE OF THE SARCO(ENDO)PLASMIC RETICULUM CA2-DEPENDENT ATPASE-II GENE TO INTRACELLULAR CA2+ CONCENTRATION IN THE SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RAT()

A cosegregation analysis of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-dependen t ATPase (SERCA) II genotype, systolic blood pressure and platelet int racellular Ca2+ concentration was performed to dissect polygenic hyper tensive traits in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Backcross analysis between spontaneuosly hypertensive rats and normotensive Donryu rats d emonstrated the existence of an inferred single major gene locus (ht). Thrombin-stimulated intraplatelet Ca2+ concentration was significantl y higher in the SERCA II homozygotes than in the heterozygotes. The SE RCA II genotype did not cosegregate with the blood pressure level. The SERCA II gene was assigned to rat chromosome 12. These results sugges t that the SERCA II gene on rat chromosome 12 contributes to increased thrombin-stimulated intraplatelet Ca2+ concentration and that the SER CA II gene is not identical to ht. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.