1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Novel brain specific bHLH transcription regulator, KW8
| Project/Area Number |
09640819
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
動物生理・代謝
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Metropolitan Organization for Medical Research (1999)
Okazaki National Research Institutes (1997-1998) |
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Principal Investigator |
MARUYAMA Kei Tokyo Metropolitan Organization for Medical Research, Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, Group head, 東京都精神医学総合研究所, 副参事研究員 (30211577)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1997 – 1999
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| Keywords | KW8 / Neuro D / Neuro D2 / NDRF / bHLH / transcription / LTP / neuron-specific |
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| Research Abstract |
KW8, a NeuroD family basic helix-loop-helix protein, was cloned during the course of screening for the genes related to long term potentiation in rat hippocampal slice. It has a bHLH domain highly homologous with that of MATH-2 and NeuroD. On the other hand, the amino-acid sequence of the other regions had little homology with those of the known proteins. This protein consists of 381 amino acids and was detected only in neural tissue, indicating that it has an important role specific to neuronal activities. Its homologue NDRF/NeuroD was also reported. Its phosphorylation and spatiotemporal distribution was studied. KW8 was expressed only in brain tissues, such as the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. Immunohistological studies revealed that KW8 was localized in the nuclei of neurons. On immunoblotting of rat brain tissue, COS-1 cells and Neuro2A cells overexpressing KW8, this protein was detected as several diffuse bands. Alkaline phosphatase treatment reduced the molecular weights of these bands. Metabolic labeling with ィイD132ィエD1Pi in COS-1 cells confirmed that the KW8 protein was phosphorylated in vivo. Some of the physiological functions of KW8 might be regulated by this phosphorylation. In yeast, the GAL4 fusion protein containing the C-terminal region of KW8 activated transcription of the reporter gene, suggesting that KW8 had transcriptional activity.
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