DNA sequence and physical mapping of the canine transglutaminase 1 gene

The transglutaminase I gene (TGM1) encodes an enzyme necessary for cross-li nking the structural proteins that form the cornified envelope, an essentia l component of the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum. Report ed here is the complete coding region of canine TGM1, its chromosome locali zation, and its map position in the integrated canine linkage-radiation hyb rid map. Canine TGM1 consists of 2,448 nucleotides distributed over 15 exon s. The nucleotide sequence has 90% identity to human TGM1. The deduced cani ne TGM1 protein is 816 amino acids long and is 92% identical to human TGM1. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we localized canine TGM1 to dog (Canis familiaris) chromosome 8 (CFA 8q). Canine TGM1 localized to CFA 8 on the integrated linkage-radiation hybrid map in the interval FH2149-MYH7. C haracterizing the coding region of canine TGM1 is a first step in examining the role of this enzyme in normal and defective cornification in the dog. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.