Identification of polymorphisms and transcriptional activity of the proto-oncogene KIT located on both autosomal and B chromosomes of the Chinese raccoon dog

Genet Mol Res. 2016 Feb 5;15(1). doi: 10.4238/gmr.15017398.

Abstract

B chromosomes are dispensable and co-exist with autosomal and sex chromosomes. The karyotype of the Chinese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides) comprises 0-4 B chromosomes. The proto-oncogene KIT is found on all B chromosomes of the Chinese raccoon dog. In the present study, partial DNA and mRNA sequences of KIT were amplified and sequenced from four individuals containing B chromosomes. Sequence analyses revealed that polymorphisms including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and inserts/deletions were rich in the KIT gene of Chinese raccoon dog at the genomic level. However, no polymorphism was detected at the mRNA level. A comparison of mRNA sequences from Chinese raccoon dogs with the corresponding sequences derived from arctic fox and dog, which do not contain B chromosomes, revealed the mRNA sequences of the 10 SNPs to be identical between these three species. Therefore, these findings suggest that KIT located on the B chromosomes in Chinese raccoon dog lacks transcriptional activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromosomes, Mammalian*
  • INDEL Mutation*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / metabolism
  • Raccoon Dogs / genetics*
  • Raccoon Dogs / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit