The beta(2) subunit of soluble guanylyl cyclase contains a human-specific frameshift and is expressed in gastric carcinoma

Soluble or nitric oxide (NO) stimulated guanglyl cyclases are obligate heme -containing heterodimers (alpha/ beta). We report the full-length cDNA of t he human ortholog of the rat beta(2)-subunit from human kidney. A database search yielded matches of the 3' non-coding sequence with previously unassi gned expressed sequence tags from kidney and stomach signet ring cell carci noma. PCR comparison of cDNA from stomach signet ring cell carcinoma and no rmal stomach tissue demonstrated beta(2) subunit expression in cancer but n ot in normal tissue. On the cDNA level a frameshift deletion of one nucleot ide was present in the novel human sequence which was confirmed on the geno mic DNA level, In four closely related nonhuman primate species the framesh ift deletion was absent while analysis of genomic DNA from different ethnic backgrounds revealed the uniform presence of the frameshift deletion in th e human population. (C) 2000 Academic Press.