THE CDNA CLONING AND ONTOGENY OF MOUSE ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN

ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. To investigate the role of alpha-synuclein in the brain, the cDNA clone encoding the mouse cognate of the human alpha-synuclein wa s isolated from a mouse brain cDNA library. The open reading frame cod ed for 140 amino acids that share 95% identity with human alpha-synucl ein. Northern blot analysis showed that alpha-synuclein mRNA was prima rily expressed in brain and spleen of adult mouse. In situ hybridizati on histochemistry revealed the highest expression of alpha-synuclein m RNA in the hippocampal formation and neocortex of the adult mouse. alp ha-Synuclein mRNA expression in the brain was first observed in the hi ppocampus and neocortex on postnatal day 1. Levels of alpha-synuclein mRNA in these forebrain areas were nearly maximal at postnatal day 7 a nd remained relatively high until the adult stage. alpha-Synuclein mRN A was expressed in the liver transiently during embryogenesis. (C) 199 8 Rapid Science Ltd.