IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TUMOR-SUPPRESSOR P53 IN CHANNEL CATFISH (ICTALURUS-PUNCTATUS)

Herein is presented the sequence of a catfish full-length p53 cDNA obt ained from a cloned B cell line cDNA library. Southern blot analyses d etermined that a restriction fragment linked polymorphism (RFLP) exist ed with PstI among outbred catfish. Western blot analyses demonstrated that, when compared to PBLs, the catfish leukocyte lines express high er levels of p53 protein. Additionally, the results of Western blot an alyses and in vitro translation experiments suggest that the catfish l eukocyte lines may produce truncated forms of p53 due to internal init iation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.