Solh, the mouse homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster small optic lobesgene: Organization, chromosomal mapping, and localization of gene product to the olfactory bulb

The Drosophila melanogaster small optic lobes gene (sol) is required for no rmal development of the neuropiles of the medulla and lobula complexes of t he adult optic lobes, The predicted protein products of sol and its human h omologue SOLH contain zinc-finger-like repeats, a calpain-like protease dom ain, and a C-terminal domain of unknown function, Long-distance PCR was use d to amplify genomic DNA for Solh, the mouse homologue of sol, following th e identification of mouse Solh expressed sequence tags. The nucleotide sequ ence of the Solh coding region (6.0 kb) was determined. The predicted Solh protein of 1095 amino acid residues shows 89% identity (93% similarity) to the human homologue. Solh was localized by in situ hybridization to band A3 .3 on mouse Chromosome 17, in a region of maintained homology with human 16 p13.3, Antipeptide antibodies were prepared and verified by demonstration o f specific reactivity with recombinant human SOLH protein prepared by in vi tro transcription/translation and expression in insect cells using the bacu lovirus system, The antibodies were used to show that the Solh protein loca lizes to the olfactory bulb in mouse and rat brain, suggesting that it coul d have an analogous role in development of sensory system neurons in Drosop hila and in mammals. (C) 2000 Academic Press.