HMG-17, A CHROMOSOMAL NONHISTONE PROTEIN, SHOWS DEVELOPMENTAL REGULATION DURING ORGANOGENESIS

We used the differential hybridization technique for isolating develop mentally regulated genes from the mouse metanephric kidney. In this sc reening, we identified the cDNA encoding high-mobility-group protein 1 7 (HMG-17), a chromosomal non-histone protein which modulates the conf ormation of transcriptionally active chromatin. Using Northern blot an alysis, the HMG-17 mRNA was strongly expressed during embryogenesis an d downregulated in various adult murine organs, At the histological le vel, the transcript localized to differentiating tissue regions and wa s apparently downregulated in mature structures indicating that HMG-17 expression is linked to cell differentiation. HMG-17 can thus be rega rded as a general marker for tissues or cells undergoing differentiati on during organogenesis.