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. 1984 Oct;81(19):5970–5974. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.19.5970

Intermediate filament cDNAs from BHK-21 cells: demonstration of distinct genes for desmin and vimentin in all vertebrate classes.

W Quax, R van den Heuvel, W V Egberts, Y Quax-Jeuken, H Bloemendal
PMCID: PMC391840  PMID: 6091127

Abstract

Recombinant cDNA plasmids for the intermediate filament proteins desmin and vimentin were constructed from baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) mRNA. Analysis of four desmin clones gave a sequence of 1574 nucleotides, which is 75% of the total mRNA length. The derived amino acid sequence for hamster desmin shows 92% overall homology with chicken desmin; the homology with hamster vimentin is highest in the alpha-helical middle part (74%). The 3'-noncoding region of desmin mRNA is found to be 677 nucleotides long. With the aid of 5'- and 3'-specific probes, it has been established that there is a single gene for desmin in the hamster genome. This gene expresses a single mRNA species of 2.2 kilobases. Hybridization experiments of a number of DNAs with desmin and vimentin probes show that there are distinct restriction enzyme fragments carrying vimentin and desmin sequences in the genome of representatives of all vertebrate classes.

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Selected References

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