Sequence, chromosomal location and expression analysis of the murine homologue of human RAD51L2/RAD51C

• Published in: Gene Vol. 271; no. 1; pp. 59 - 67
• Main Authors: Leasure, Christopher S, Chandler, Jennifer, Gilbert, Debra J, Householder, Deborah B, Stephens, Robert, Copeland, Neal G, Jenkins, Nancy A, Sharan, Shyam K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 13.06.2001
• Subjects: 5′ RACE; Animals; Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC); Base Sequence; Blotting, Northern; chromosome 11; chromosome 17; Chromosome Mapping; Cloning, Molecular; DNA repair; DNA, Complementary - chemistry; DNA, Complementary - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Female; Gene Expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genscan; Humans; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred Strains; Molecular Sequence Data; Muridae; Rad51 protein; Rad51 Recombinase; RAD51C gene; RAD51L2 gene; Rad51L2 protein; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; TestCode; Testis - metabolism; Tissue Distribution; SSC, 0.15 M NaCl/0.015 M Na3·citrate pH 7.6; BRCA1, breast cancer susceptibility gene1; UTR, untranslated region(s); MMS, methylmethansulfonate; TestCode; bp, base pair(s); SDS, sodium dodecyl sulfate; 5′ RACE; DNA repair; EST, expressed sequence tag; RT-PCR, reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction; cDNA, DNA complementary to RNA; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; RACE, rapid amplification of cDNA ends; Genscan; BAC, bacterial artificial chromosome; kb, kilobase(s) 1000 bp; BRCA2, breast cancer susceptibility gene2; Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1119(01)00498-X

The Rad51 protein has been shown to play a vital role in the DNA repair process. In humans, its interaction with proteins like BRCA1 and BRCA2 has provided an insight into the mechanism of how these molecules function as tumor suppressors. Several members of the Rad51-like family have been recently identified, including RAD51L2. This gene has been found to be amplified in breast tumors suggesting its role in tumor progression. Here, we describe the cloning of the murine homologue of the human RAD51L2/RAD51C gene. Sequence analysis has revealed that the murine Rad51l2 protein is 86% identical and 93% similar to its human homologue. In spite of such high sequence conservation, the murine protein lacks the first nine amino acids present in the human protein. We have cloned and confirmed the sequence of the 5′ end of the murine Rad51l2 cDNA using 5′ RACE technique as well as by sequencing the genomic region flanking the first exon of the murine Rad51l2 gene. Northern analysis shows that Rad51l2 is expressed in several adult tissues as well as in embryos at various developmental stages. The murine Rad51l2 gene maps to chromosome 11 and is located in the syntenic region of human chromosome 17q22-23, where the human RAD51L2 is present.