Identification of two rodent genes encoding homologues to seminal vesicle autoantigen: A gene family including the gene for prolactin-inducible protein

We cloned two new paralogous genes that encode proteins homologous to semin al vesicle autoantigen (SVA) in rodents. The open reading frame of one mous e gene encodes a polypeptide consisting of 151 amino acid residues which ha s 43% identity to SVA, RT-PCR analysis showed selective expression in the c olon, and thus the protein was tentatively named "SVA--lke protein in the c olon (SLP-C)". The other mouse gene has an open reading frame encoding 144 amino acid residues with 46 and 65% identity to SVA and SLP-C, respectively Expression of this gene was detected in the mammary, submaxillary, parotid , and lacrimal glands, and this protein was named "SLP in the mammary gland (SLP-M)". Orthologs of both genes were also found in rats. The three homol ogous genes coding for SVA, SEP-C, and SLP-M may have been generated by gen e duplication with divergence of tissue expression in the course of evoluti on. They comprise a unique structurally-related gene family. Moreover, thes e genes share significant sequence homology with that of another secretory glycoprotein, prolactin-inducible protein. (C) 2001 Academic Press.