Da. Underhill et al., Transcription mapping and expression analysis of candidate genes in the vicinity of the mouse Loop-tail mutation, MAMM GENOME, 11(8), 2000, pp. 633-638
Loop-tail (Lp) is a semidominant mutation that maps to the distal portion o
f mouse Chromosome (Chr) 1 and is an established model for neural tube defe
cts (NTDs). Homozygous em bryos exhibit an open neural tube from the caudal
midbrain to the tip of the tail that results from over-differentiation of
the floor plate. To facilitate the positional cloning of the Lp gene, both
cDNB selection and assignment of sequence-tagged-sites from the human trans
cript map have been used to identify genes within the Lp interval. Together
with previous physical mapping, this has allowed the placement of 13 trans
cription units within an approximately 1-Mb region that spans the Lp geneti
c interval, and eight of these genes map to the nonrecombinant interval. Th
is map includes genes that encode proteins involved in protein sorting and
targeting (Tim23 and Copa), ion transport (Atp1a2, Atp1a4, and Girk3), tran
scription (Nhlh1), immune regulation (Cd48 and Fcer1 alpha). cell adhesion
(R88252), apoptosis (Pea15), and several of unknown function (H326, Kiaa025
3, and Estm34). Expression analysis by Northern blotting indicated that a s
ubset of these genes are expressed preferentially in the developing nervous
system. Finally this region of mouse Chr 1 represents a conserved linkage
group with genes on human chromosome 1q21, a region that is frequently alte
red in human cancers and that harbors loci for several genetic conditions.
Consequently, analysis of the Lp interval may provide important tools to un
derstand how the corresponding region of human Chr 1 contributes to disease
, in addition to defining a key gene product required for neurulation.