Nuclear myosin is ubiquitously expressed and evolutionary conserved in vertebrates

• DOI: 10.1007/s00418-006-0231-0
• Publication Date: 2006-09-06T07:28:04Z
• Authors: M. Kahle; J. Přidalová; M. Špaček; R. Dzijak; P. Hozák
• Keywords: Cell Nucleus; Male; Serum; 0303 health sciences; Transcription, Genetic; Gene Expression; Cell Line; Mice; Myosin Type I; 03 medical and health sciences; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Vertebrates; Animals; Humans; Female; Amino Acid Sequence; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; Conserved Sequence; Phylogeny

Nuclear myosin I (NMI) is a single-headed member of myosin superfamily localized in the cell nucleus which participates along with nuclear actin in transcription and chromatin remodeling. We demonstrate that NMI is present in cell nuclei of all mouse tissues examined except for cells in terminal stages of spermiogenesis. Quantitative PCR and western blots demonstrate that the expression of NMI in tissues varies with the highest levels in the lungs. The expression of NMI is lower in serum-starved cells and it increases after serum stimulation. The lifespan of NMI is longer than 16 h as determined by cycloheximide translation block. A homologous protein is expressed in human, chicken, Xenopus, and zebrafish as shown by RACE analysis. The analysis of genomic sequences indicates that almost identical homologous NMI genes are expressed in mammals, and similar NMI genes in vertebrates.