The human RGL (RalGDS-like) gene: cloning, expression analysis and genomicorganization

Ral GDP dissociation stimulator (RalGDS) and its family members RGL, RLF an d RGL2 are involved in Ras and Ral signaling pathways as downstream effecto r proteins. Here we report the precise localization and cloning of two form s of human RGL gene differing at the amino terminus. Transcript A, cloned f rom liver cDNA libraries has the same amino terminus as the mouse RGL, wher eas transcript B cloned from brain has a substitution of 45 amino acids for the first nine amino acids. At the genomic level, exon 1 of transcript A i s replaced by two alternative exons (1B1 and 1B2) in transcript B. Both for ms share exons 2 through is. The human RGL protein shares 94% amino acid id entity with the mouse protein. Northern blot analysis shows that human RGL is expressed in a wide variety of tissues with strong expression being seen in the heart, brain, kidney, spleen and testis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.