Isolation and molecular characterization of rasfadin, a novel gene in the vicinity of the bovine prion gene

Abstract

A novel gene, rasfadin (RASSF2) was identified close to the bovine prion gene, and its genomic structure was derived with a combination of exon trapping and RACE. The gene covers at least 28 kb and maps to the same chromosomal region as the prion gene in cattle, sheep, and human. The RASSF2 ORF is composed of 987 base pairs divided into nine exons and shows a high nucleotide (88%) and amino acid similarity (95%) with a previously described human cDNA, KIAA0168. The bovine 3'UTR region is significantly shorter than the human counterpart, but shares with it two highly conserved nucleotide blocks. The expression of the gene was investigated in brain, liver, and spleen. Alternative splicing yields a shorter product in the liver composed of only four exons. Computer analysis showed a highly significant similarity of the rasfadin protein with the Ras association (Ral-GDS/AF-6) domain family 2 and with the afadin family, respectively, for the longer brain/spleen and the shorter liver variants.

The Ras-association domain family (RASSF) members and their role in human tumourigenesis

“…Located on human chromosome 20p13, RASSF2 , originally called Rasfadin , was first identified as a novel gene close to the bovine prion gene and shows a high nucleotide (88%) and amino acid similarity (95%) with a previously described human cDNA, KIAA0168 [163]. In silico characterisation of RASSF2 reported three isoforms ( RASSF2A , RASSF2B and RASSF2C ), with only the RASSF2A isoform having a 5′ CpG island and predicted promoter region (the open reading frame of RASSF2A was cloned from a brain-specific cDNA library) [164].…”

Polymorphisms of Two Indels at the PRNP Gene in Three Beef Cattle Herds

“…Other genes related to PRNP have been described in different species; doppel protein gene, PRND (Moore et al 1999); prion protein testis-specific gene, PRNT (occurring only in primates, Makrinou et al 2002;Premzl and Gamulin 2007); shadow of prion protein gene, SRNP (Premzl et al 2003); rasfadin gene, RASSF2 (Comincini et al 2001a). Suggestions of an association between polymorphisms in these genes and TSE have been described for humans (review in Choi et al 2006) but not for cattle (Comincini et al 2001b;Balbus et al 2005).…”

Ras Associated with Diabetes

“…Member 2, Rasfadin RASSF2, located at human chromosomal region 20p13, was originally called Rasfadin and was first identified as a novel gene in close proximity to the bovine prion gene (Comincini et al 2001). The first report showed high nucleotide (88%) and amino acid similarity (95%) with a previously described human cDNA, KIAA0168.…”