CDNA CLONING, GENOMIC ORGANIZATION, AND CHROMOSOMAL LOCALIZATION OF THE MOUSE LIM MOTIF-CONTAINING KINASE GENE, LIMK2

LTM-kinases, including LIMK1 and LIMK2, are unique LIM-family proteins with two tandem LIM motifs at the N-terminal and a serine/threonine k inase domain at the C-terminal. In this study, we cloned two types of mouse Limk2 cDNA; one is an intact form (Limk2a) and the other has onl y one complete LIM domain (Limk2a). Northern blot analysis showed LimK 2a mRNA was ubiquitously present in various adult tissues, while Limk2 b was predominantly expressed in brain. We also identified genomic org anization of the Limk2 gene; it is similar to that of the related gene Limk1. The transcription unit contains 16 exons plus two alternative exons, thus, variation in the initiator exon usage gives rise to alter native transcripts of Limk2. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysi s showed the Limk2 gene were mapped to mouse chromosome 1D. These find ings provide some important clues to the in vivo functions of LIM kina ses. (C) 1997 Academic Press.