Fol. Biol. 2002, 48, 9-14
Chromosomal Mapping of HCaRG, a Novel Hypertension-Related, Calcium-Regulated Gene
We recently identified a novel gene that is negatively regulated by extracellular calcium concentration with higher levels of transcripts in hypertensive animals (SHR). We named this gene HCaRG (Hypertension-related, Calcium-Regulated Gene). In this work we report the chromosomal localization of the HCaRG gene among different species. We identified a BglII RFLP between BN.lx and SHR rats. We then analysed the strain distribution pattern of this RFLP in 31 RIS, originating from BN.lx and SHR rats, and compared it to the segregation of 475 markers localized in the rat genetic map. Hcarg localizes to the rat chromosome 7 between the markers Mit3 and Mit4. This region is homologous to human chromosome 8q21-24. We identified three clones in Genbank that contain the sequence of HCaRG. It was therefore possible to narrow down the localization of human HCaRG to chromosome 8q24.3. Furthermore, a suggestive localization of mouse Harg based on conservation of linkage between human and mouse is on chromosome 15. We previously identified a putative calcium-binding motif (EF-Hand) and a nuclear receptor-binding domain (LxxLL) in the rat sequence of the HCaRG protein. Sequence comparison between five different species showed that these domains are highly conserved. Furthermore, a search of ESTs in Genbank for homologous sequences showed that HCaRG is expressed only in eukaryotes, particularly in mammals.
Keywords
Funding
These studies are currently supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Grant MT-14374 (to J. T.). This work was also supported by grants from the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, grant 305/00/1646 to M. P. and grant 204/98/K015 to V. K. M. P. is an International Research Scholar of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. N. S. is recipient of a studentship from the Medical Research Council of Canada, now CIHR. This work is within the framework of a collaborative agreement between Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and the 1st Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague.
References
Copyright
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.