Multiple transcripts generated by the DCAMKL gene are expressed in the rathippocampus

We have recently cloned a novel Doublecortin CaMK-like kinase (rDCAMKL) cDN A, and a related cDNA called CaMK-related peptide (CARP) from the rat hippo campus. These genes are structurally highly similar to the human DCAMKL-1 g ene and doublecortin, a gene associated with X-linked lissencephaly and sub cortical band heterotopia. Here we report on the genomic organization of th e murine DCAMKL gene and its products. Our results show that DCAMKL and CAR P are alternative splice products of the same gene. The DCAMKL gene also ge nerates three alternatively-spliced rDCAMKL transcripts of which we have cl oned the corresponding cDNAs and which potentially generate different DCAMK L proteins. In situ hybridization experiments show that the different rDCAM KL transcripts are all expressed in the adult rat hippocampus. We conclude that alternative splicing of the DCAMKL gene may generate different but sim ilar proteins in the adult rat hippocampus thereby regulating different but overlapping aspects of DCAMKL controlled neuronal plasticity. (C) 2001 Els evier Science BY All rights reserved.