MURINE BRCA2 - SEQUENCE, MAP POSITION, AND EXPRESSION PATTERN

Mutations in the human BRCA2 gene are responsible for about 45% of her editary early onset breast cancer. Recently, the human BRCA2 gene was cloned, and several germline mutations were identified. Here we descri be the cloning of the mouse homologue of BRCA2. The mouse cDNA sequenc e predicts a 3328-amino-acid Brca2 protein, 90 amino acids shorter tha n the human protein. The overall identity between the mouse and the hu man proteins is 59%, while the similarity is 72%. At the nucleotide le vel the homology is 74%. By comparing the amino acid sequences of the two homologues we have identified five highly conserved novel domains that may be functionally significant. Brca2 has been mapped to the dis tal end of mouse chromosome 5, a region of the mouse genome that conta ins other genes that also map to human chromosome 13q12 - q13, confirm ing the conservation of this linkage group between the two species. Ex pression of Brca2 was detected in midgestation embryos and adult testi s, thymus, and ovary. (C) 1997 Academic Press.