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Title: GALLUS GALLUS 5'-AMP-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE, ALPHA-2 CATALYTIC SUBUNIT, MRNA, COMPLETE CDS

Author
item Proszkowiec-Weglarz, Monika
item Richards, Mark
item Poch, Stephen

Submitted to: Genbank
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/28/2005
Publication Date: 1/18/2006
Citation: Proszkowiec-Weglarz, M., Richards, M.P., Poch, S.M. 2006. Gallus Gallus 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase alpha-2 catalytic subunit (PRKAA2) mRNA, complete cds. GenBank Accession Number DQ340396.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a sensor of cellular energy charge. Once activated by an increase in the AMP/ATP ratio, AMPK acts as a master switch to increase energy-generating and to reduce energy-consuming metabolic pathways. AMPK exists as an enzyme complex consisting of one catalytic subunit (alpha) and two regulatory subunits (beta and gamma). There are two known isoforms of the AMPK alpha catalytic subunit (alpha-1 and alpha-2) that are encoded by separate genes. A molecular cloning strategy involving primer-directed reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and 5’RACE was developed to sequence 3437 base pairs (bp) of a chicken skeletal muscle–derived cDNA corresponding to the complete coding region and portions of the 5’- and 3’-untranslated regions of the chicken AMPK alpha-2 mRNA. The chicken AMPK alpha-2 gene consists of 9 exons which are highly similar to their counterparts in the human AMPK alpha-2 gene with respect to sequence, length, number and order. Chicken AMPK alpha-2 mRNA codes for a predicted 552 amino acid protein that shares 93% homology with the human alpha-2 protein, and 74% homology with chicken and human alpha-1 proteins. This sequence data confirmed for the first time the existence and expression of an AMPK alpha-2 mRNA in chickens. Such data will be useful to scientists interested in studying the structure and expression of the chicken AMPK alpha-2 gene, as well as, in further defining the genetic basis and function of the AMPK pathway in poultry.