HUMAN ACID BETA-GLUCOSIDASE - NORTHERN BLOT AND S1 NUCLEASE ANALYSIS OF MESSENGER-RNA FROM HELA-CELLS AND NORMAL AND GAUCHER DISEASE FIBROBLASTS

  • 1 December 1986
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (6) , 763-774
Abstract
Human acid .beta.-glucosidase (.beta.-Glc) mRNA was evaluated by dot blot, Northern blot, and S1 nuclease analyses of extracts of HeLa cells and cultured fibroblasts from normal individuals and Gaucher disease patients. Dot blot quantitation indicated and equal concentration of specific mRNA in all sources. Northern blot analyses demonstrated the presence of three poly (A)+ mRNAs of about 5,600, 2,500, and 2,000 nucleotides in length from all cell extracts. All three mRNAs were present in normal amounts in fibroblast extracts from several subtypes and variants of Gaucher disease. The largest poly (A)+ mRNA species was thought to represent an unspliced nuclear precursor for the two smaller .beta.-Glc mRNAs. S1 nuclease analyses, using SP6 transcripts of .beta.-Glc cDNA, indicated that the 2,000 nucleotide mRNA differs from the 2,500 nucleotide form at both the 5'' and 3'' ends. These results are consistent with the use of an alternate 5'' splice site and 3'' polyadenylation signal. These results also suggest that the subtype and variants of Gaucher disease result from single base alterations that lead to the synthesis of defective .beta.-Glc.