CHARACTERIZATION AND EXPRESSION ANALYSIS OF THE MURINE RCK GENE - A PROTEIN-KINASE WITH A POTENTIAL FUNCTION IN SENSORY CELLS

We have characterized a murine protein kinase gene, rck, which was ide ntified by crosshybridization with sequences from the v-ros tyrosine k inase gene under conditions of reduced stringency. cDNA analysis indic ates that rck encodes a putative protein kinase related to the cdc2 su bclass of the gene family and that the gene is identical to mak identi fied previously in the rat. An extensive expression analysis in the mo use performed by a combination of in situ hybridization and RNase prot ection revealed a novel and restricted pattern of expression: rck tran scripts are found in two cell types involved in sensory transduction, photoreceptors and olfactory receptors as well as in epithelia of the respiratory tract and choroid plexus. Specific transcripts are also fo und in pre- and postmeiotic male germ cells. We suggest therefore that rck participates in signalling pathways important in a distinct set o f cells, remarkably among them cells involved in sensory signal transd uction.