Plasma membrane calcium ATPase gene expression in bovine lens epithelium

Plasma membrane calcium adenosine triphosphatase (Ca2+-ATPase) is an energy -dependent protein responsible for transporting cytosolic calcium across th e plasma membrane. Multiple plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase isoforms are expres sed from four genes (PMCA1-4) and alternative mRNA splicing. We have studie d PMCA gene expression in bovine lens epithelium tissues by reverse transcr iption-polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot, and Northern blot hybridiz ation. All four PMCA genes are expressed in the lens epithelium, the PMCA3 transcript being the most abundant. The transcripts for PMCA1, PMCA2, and P MCA4 exist in decreasing order of abundance. There is no evidence for the e xpression of any novel PMCA genes in bovine lens epithelium. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.