Abstract
Based on the concept of sequence conservation around the active sites of serine proteinases, polymerase chain reaction applied to mRNA amplification allowed us to obtain a 260-bp probe which was used to screen a mouse pituitary cDNA library. The primers used derived from the cDNA sequence of active sites Ser* and Asn* of human furin. Two cDNA sequences were obtained from a number of positive clones. These code for two similar but distinct structures (mPC1 and mPC2), each being homologous to yeast Kex2 and human furin. In situ hybridization (mPC1) and Northern blots (mPC1 = 3.0 kb and mPC2 = 2.8 and 4.8 kb) demonstrated tissue and cellular specificity of expression, only within endocrine and neuroendocrine cells. These data suggest that mPC1 and mPC2 represent prime candidates for tissue-specific pro-hormone converting proteinases.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Sequence
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Blotting, Northern
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Endopeptidases / blood*
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Endopeptidases / metabolism
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Furin
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Humans
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Mice
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nucleic Acid Conformation
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Organ Specificity / genetics
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Pituitary Gland / metabolism*
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Pituitary Hormones / metabolism
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Proprotein Convertase 1*
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Proprotein Convertase 2
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Proprotein Convertases
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Protein Processing, Post-Translational
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RNA, Messenger / genetics*
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
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Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
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Serine Endopeptidases / blood*
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Serine Endopeptidases / genetics*
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Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism
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Subtilisins / genetics*
Substances
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Pituitary Hormones
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RNA, Messenger
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
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Endopeptidases
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Proprotein Convertases
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Serine Endopeptidases
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Subtilisins
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KEX2 protein, S cerevisiae
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Furin
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Pcsk1 protein, mouse
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Proprotein Convertase 1
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Pcsk2 protein, mouse
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Proprotein Convertase 2
Associated data
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GENBANK/M55668
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GENBANK/M55669