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The Gene for Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor (CNTF) Maps to Murine Chromosome 19 and its Expression is Not Affected in the Hereditary Motoneuron Disease ‘Wobbler’ of the Mouse
Author(s) -
Kaupmann Klemens,
Sendtner Michael,
Stöckli Kurt A.,
Jockusch Harald
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.1991.tb00052.x
Subject(s) - ciliary neurotrophic factor , biology , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , chromosome , gene , congenic , neurotrophic factors , receptor
The cDNA for ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a polypeptide involved in the survival of motoneurons in mammals, has recently been cloned (Stöckli et al., Nature , 342 , 920–923, 1989; Lin et al Science , 246 , 1023–1025, 1989). We have now localized the corresponding gene Cntf to chromosome 19 in the mouse, using an interspecific cross between Mus spretus and Mus musculus domesticus. The latter was carrying the gene wobbler (wr) for spinal muscular atrophy. DNA was prepared from backcross individuals and typed for the segregation of species‐specific Cntf restriction fragments in relation to DNA markers of known chromosomal location. The M.spretus allele of Cntf cosegregated with chromosome 19 markers and mapped closely to Ly‐1 to a region of mouse chromosome 19 with conserved synteny to human chromosome 11q. Cntf is not linked to wr , and the expression of CNTF mRNA and protein appears close to normal in facial and sciatic nerves of affected (wr/wr) mice, suggesting that motoneuron degeneration of wobbler mice has its origin in defects other than reduced CNTF expression.