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PubMed2003

Two new avian mitochondrial genomes (penguin and goose) and a summary of bird and reptile mitogenomic features.

We report complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes for a penguin (little blue, Eudyptula minor) and a goose (greater white-fronted, Anser albifrons). A revised annotation of avian and reptile mt genomes has been carried out, which improves consistency of labeling gene start and stop positions. In conjunction with this, a summary of mt gene features is presented and a number of conserved patterns and interesting differences identified. The protein-coding genes from the two new genomes were analysed together with those from 17 other birds plus outgroup (reptile) taxa. The unrooted amino acid tree from 19 avian genomes was locally stable with many high bootstrap values using several maximum likelihood methods. In particular, Anseriformes (goose and duck) grouped strongly with Galliformes (chicken) to form Gallianseres, while the penguin paired firmly with the stork. The position where the outgroup joined the avian tree varied with the combination of outgroup taxa used. The three best supported positions of the root were passerine, but the traditional rooting position between paleognaths and neognaths could not be excluded.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Quail and other short-lived birds.

Japanese quail are small galliforms that are migratory and generally live 2 to 3years in the wild. Although there is evidence for other environmental cues, they primarily respond to long daylength for regulation of reproduction. In contrast to the Common Tern, a long-lived sea bird that shows little evidence of reproductive aging, Japanese quail follow a well-defined process of aging with evidence of declining function in reproductive, metabolic, and sensory systems. Our studies focus on neuroendocrine changes associated with reproductive aging in the Japanese quail, with emphasis on the male in order to study both endocrine and behavioral components of reproduction and the process of reproductive aging.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

RAG-1 sequences resolve phylogenetic relationships within Charadriiform birds.

The Charadriiformes is a large and diverse order of shorebirds currently classified into 19 families, including morphologically aberrant forms that are of uncertain phylogenetic placement within non-passerine birds in general. Recent attempts using morphological characters have failed to recover a well-supported phylogeny depicting higher level relationships within Charadriiformes and the limits to the order, primarily because of inconsistency and homoplasy in these data. Moreover, these trees are incongruent with the relationships presented in the DNA hybridization tapestry of, including the location of the root and the branching order of major clades within the shorebirds. To help clarify this systematic confusion we therefore sequenced the large RAG-1 nuclear exon (2850 bp) from 36 species representing 17 families of shorebirds for which DNA was available. Trees built with maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood or Bayesian methods are topologically identical and fully resolved, with high support at basal nodes. This further attests to the phylogenetic utility of the RAG-1 sequences at higher taxonomic levels within birds. The RAG-1 tree is topologically similar to the DNA hybridization tree in depicting three major subordinal clades of shorebirds, the Charadrii (thick-knees, sheathbills, plovers, oystercatchers, and allies), Scolopaci (sandpipers and jacanas) and the Lari (coursers, pratincoles, gulls, terns, skimmers, and skuas). However, the basal split in the RAG-1 tree is between Charadrii and (Scolopaci+Lari), whereas in the DNA hybridization tree Scolopaci is the sister group to the (Charadrii+Lari). Thus in both of these DNA-based trees the Alcidae (auks, murres, and allies) are not basal among shorebirds as hypothesized in morphological trees, but instead are placed as a tip clade within Lari. The enigmatic buttonquails (Turnicidae), variously hypothesized as being allied to either the Galliformes, Gruiformes, or Charadriiformes, are shown to be a basal lineage in the more conventional Lari clade. Divergence times estimated with rate-smoothing methods and minimum time constraints imposed at nodes with key fossils suggest that Charadriiformes originated in Gondwanaland.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Energy metabolism and thermoregulation in hand-reared chukars (Alectoris chukar).

Metabolic rate and colonic temperature were measured in chukars between 1st and 108th day of life (divided into six age groups: 1-3-days old, 1, 2, 3, and 4-weeks old and 3.5-months old) in ambient temperatures set separately for each group and ranging from -12 to 41 degrees C. The Gompertz growth constant for growing chukars (0.042) was close to the value obtained in earlier study for the grey partridge. Similarly as in other species of Galliformes, newly hatched chukar chicks had lower T(b) at TNZ (39.5 degrees C) than that found in older birds (41.3 degrees C in 4-weeks old). The body temperatures taken at TNZ in 2-weeks old chicks and older fitted neatly within allometrically predicted limits of body temperatures for adult birds. The values of RMR at TNZ followed closely a biphasic pattern, with the second phase correlating strongly with the body mass. The value of metabolic scope (the level of metabolic efficiency) for the youngest group was high (3.2) and exceeded the values obtained in earlier studies for other gallinaceous species, including the grey partridge. The obtained values of minimum wet thermal conductance for growing chukar chicks exceeded the predicted values by approximately 40% but the slopes of both lines were very similar. In chukars, the key stage in the expression of fully developed thermoregulatory capacities comes immediately after the first week of life (maintaining somewhat constant body temperature, evident drop in the value of RMR at TNZ and minimal thermal conductance). The model of gradual development of thermoregulation which could be derived from the experiments on chukar chicks was characteristic for typical precocial birds.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Bird evolution in the Eocene: climate change in Europe and a Danish fossil fauna.

The pattern of the evolutionary radiation of modern birds (Neornithes) has been debated for more than 10 years. However, the early fossil record of birds from the Paleogene, in particular, the Lower Eocene, has only recently begun to be used in a phylogenetic context to address the dynamics of this major vertebrate radiation. The Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-P) extinction event dominates our understanding of early modern bird evolution, but climate change throughout the Eocene is known to have also played a major role. The Paleocene and Lower Eocene was a time of avian diversification as a result of favourable global climatic conditions. Deteriorations in climate beginning in the Middle Eocene appear to be responsible for the demise of previously widespread avian lineages like Lithornithiformes and Gastornithidae. Other groups, such as Galliformes display replacement of some lineages by others, probably related to adaptations to a drier climate. Finally, the combination of slowly deteriorating climatic conditions from the Middle Eocene onwards, appears to have slowed the evolutionary rate in Europe, as avian faunas did not differentiate markedly until the Oligocene. Taking biotic factors in tandem with the known Paleogene fossil record of Neornithes has recently begun to illuminate this evolutionary event. Well-preserved fossil taxa are required in combination with ever-improving phylogenetic hypotheses for the inter-relationships of modern birds founded on morphological characters. One key avifauna of this age, synthesised for the first time herein, is the Lower Eocene Fur Formation of Denmark. The Fur birds represent some of the best preserved (often in three dimensions and with soft tissues) known fossil records for major clades of modern birds. Clear phylogenetic assessment of these fossils will prove critical for future calibration of the neornithine evolutionary timescale. Some early diverging clades were clearly present in the Paleocene as evidenced directly by new fossil material alongside the phylogenetically constrained Lower Eocene taxa. A later Oligocene radiation of clades other than Passeriformes is not supported by available fossil data.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Expression, zinc-affinity purification, and characterization of a novel metal-binding cluster in troponin T: metal-stabilized alpha-helical structure and effects of the NH2-terminal variable region on the conformation of intact troponin T and its association with tropomyosin.

A repeating metal-binding (Cu2+ > Ni2+ > Zn2+ approximately Co2+) sequence [HE/AEAH]4 (Tx) has been recently identified in the NH2-terminal variable region of troponin T (TnT) isoforms specifically expressed in the breast but not leg muscles of the avian orders of Galliformes and Craciformes [Jin, J.-P., & Smillie, L. B. (1994) FEBS Lett. 341, 135-140]. In the present study, two expression plasmids were constructed to produce chicken TnT1 NH2-terminal fragments of 47 (N47) or 165 (N165) amino acids containing the Tx metal-binding cluster. The recombinant protein/peptide was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)pLysS and purified by a highly effective Zn(2+)-affinity chromatography method. Amino acid analyses, NH2-terminal peptide sequencing, mass spectrometry and immunological identification confirmed the authenticity of the genetically engineered TnT fragments. In the presence of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, transition metals had significant effects on the secondary structure of TnT fragment N47, as shown by circular dichroism. N165 in non-denaturing buffer demonstrated alpha-helical content comparable to previous data from rabbit fast skeletal TnT fragment T1. Zn(2+)-binding avidity of the metal-binding TnT and its fragments demonstrated tertiary relationships between the NH2-terminal variable region and the COOH-terminal segment of the intact TnT protein. Solid-phase protein-binding assays established that Zn(2+)-binding to the Tx cluster induces epitopic structure changes in this NH2-terminal segment, further affecting other epitopic structures of intact TnT as well as the function of TnT's tropomyosin binding-sites. The results demonstrate that metal ion-binding to the Tx cluster reconfigures the overall conformation of TnT through structural relationships between the NH2-terminal variable region and other domains of the intact TnT molecule. Accordingly, the developmental and/or muscle type specific NH2-terminal structure of TnT isoforms may modulate the Ca(2+)-activation of muscle contraction.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

High chromosome conservation detected by comparative chromosome painting in chicken, pigeon and passerine birds.

Chicken chromosome paints for macrochromosomes 1-10, Z, and the nine largest microchromosomes (Griffin et al. 1999) were used to analyze chromosome homologies between chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus: Galliformes), domestic pigeon (Columba livia: Columbiformes), chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs Passeriformes), and redwing (Turdus iliacus: Passeriformes). High conservation of syntenies was revealed. In general, both macro- and microchromosomes in these birds showed very low levels of interchromosomal rearrangements. Only two cases of rearrangements were found. Chicken chromosome 1 corresponds to chromosome 1 in pigeon, but to chromosomes 3 and 4 in chaffinch and chromosomes 2 and 5 in redwing. Chicken chromosome 4 was shown to be homologous to two pairs of chromosomes in the karyotypes of pigeon and both passerine species. Comparative analysis of chromosome painting data and the results of FISH with (TTAGGG)n probe did not reveal any correlation between the distribution of interstitial telomere sites (ITSs) and chromosome rearrangements in pigeon, chaffinch and redwing. In chaffinch, ITSs were found to co-localize with a tandem repeat GS (Liangouzov et al. 2002), monomers of which contain an internal TTAGGG motif.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

New quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Cheyletoidea).

Five new species and two new genera belonging to the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Cheyletoidea) are described from birds that died in the Antwerp Zoo during their quarantine: Charadriaulobia vanelli n. g., n. sp. from Vanellus chilensis (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) in Brazil; Fritschisyringophilus lonchurae n. g., n. sp. from Lonchura punctulata (Passeriformes: Estrildidae) in India; Mironovia coturnae n. sp. from Coturnix coturnix (Galliformes: Phasianidae) in Europe; Syringophiloidus daberti n. sp. from Passerina ciris (Passeriformes: Emberizidae) in Mexico; and S. serini n. sp. from Serinus mozambicus (Passeriformes: Fringillidae) in Central Africa. Charadriaulobia n. g. differs from the closely related Aulobia Kethley, 1970, in both sexes, by the divergent epimeres I; in females, by the absence of protuberances on the hypostomal apex and by the situation of the bases of setae l4 distinctly anterior the bases of setae d4. Fritschisyringophilus n. g. differs from the closely related Syringophiloidus Kethley, 1972, in both sexes, by the presence of setae vs ' on legs II, the absence of setae dT on legs III and IV; in females, by the presence of median hypostomal protuberances and by short setae l1, l2 and l3. The relationships between the Syringophilidae and their hosts are briefly discussed. A list of all known syringophilid genera and their distribution on bird families is provided.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Life history and social learning: megapode chicks fail to acquire feeding preferences from conspecifics.

Australian brush-turkeys, Alectura lathami, are birds with an unusual life history: The young receive no parental care and first encounter conspecifics at an unpredictable age. Brush-turkey chicks that were 3-4 days old were presented with a robot model that appeared to feed from a distinctively colored dish. In control training trials, chicks saw a robot standing next to a different dish and scanning from side to side. Chicks expressed a strong tendency to feed from dishes of the type indicated by the pecking robot, but this effect proved ephemeral. Brush-turkeys hence appear to show no social learning under conditions that inculcate stable preferences in other galliforms such as chickens, suggesting that life history plays an important role in the evolution of learning.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Ancestral lysozymes reconstructed, neutrality tested, and thermostability linked to hydrocarbon packing.

The controversy surrounding the idea that neutral mutations dominate protein evolution is attributable in part to the inadequacy of the tools available to evolutionary investigators. With a few exceptions, most investigations into the force driving protein evolution have relied on indirect criteria for distinguishing neutral and non-neutral variants. To investigate a particular pathway of molecular evolution, we have reconstructed by site-directed mutagenesis likely ancestral variants of the lysozymes of modern game birds (order Galliformes), tested their activity and thermostability and determined their three-dimensional structure. We focused on amino acids at three positions that are occupied in all known game birds either by the triplet Thr 40, Ile 55, Ser 91, or by the triplet Ser 40, Val 55, Thr 91. We have synthesized proteins representing intermediates along the possible three-step evolutionary pathways between these triplets. Although all of these are active and stable, none of these intermediates is found in known lysozymes. A comparison of the structures and thermostabilities of the variants reveals a linear correlation between the side-chain volume of the triplet and the thermostability of the protein. Each pathway connecting the two extant triplet sequences includes a variant with a thermostability outside the range of the extant proteins. This observation is consistent with a non-neutral evolutionary pathway. The existence of variants that are more stable than the extant proteins suggests that selection for maximum thermostability may not have been an important factor in the evolution of this enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Multilocus DNA fingerprints in gallinaceous birds: general approach and problems.

Multilocus profiles were investigated in five different species of Galliformes (ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus, Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus, Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica, domestic chicken Gallus gallus, and red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus) using two human multilocus probes (33.6 and 33.15) in combination with each of four restriction enzymes (AluI, DdeI, HaeIII or HinfI). All the species show a DNA fingerprint-like pattern using at least one restriction enzyme in combination with each multilocus probe. The number of bands detected and the value of the index of similarity for each species differ significantly between the profiles obtained with each multilocus probe. Some enzyme/probe combinations reveal strong cross-hybridization of the multilocus probes with satellite or satellite-like DNA sequences in pheasant, peacock, quail and chicken, which partially or completely prevented scoring of the profile. The choice of restriction enzyme was found to influence the number of bands, the value of the index of similarity and the probability of obtaining an identical fingerprint between unrelated individuals. The Mendelian inheritance and independent segregation of the fragments detected using AluI was investigated in three species (ring-necked pheasant, Indian peafowl and red grouse). Some bands were shown to be tightly linked. An extreme case was encountered in the red grouse, where 12 of the 15 bands scored in one parent represented only two, apparently allelic, haplotypes and so derived from a single locus. However, fingerprint patterns will often be adequate for use in paternity analyses, such as in behavioural studies, despite the occurrence of haplotypic sets of bands. Identical DNA multilocus profiles were sometimes observed between captive-bred siblings in one species. These results emphasize the desirability of determining, in each new species, the optimal experimental conditions as a preliminary to any behavioural or population genetic studies that use the multilocus DNA fingerprinting methodology.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Complete sequence of the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) mitochondrial genome and its genetic relationship with related species.

The Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica; JQ) is one of the domesticated fowl species of Japan. To provide DNA sequence information for examination of its phylogenetic position in the order Galliformes, the complete sequence of the JQ mitochondria was determined. Sequence analysis revealed that the JQ mitochondrial genome is a circular DNA of 16 697 basepairs (bp), which is smaller than the chicken mitochondrial DNA of 16 775 bp, but the genomic structure of JQ mitochondria was the same as that of the chicken. The sequence homologies of all mitochondrial genes including those for 12S and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), between Japanese quail and chicken ranged from 78.0 to 89.9%. Because the sequences of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 and cytochrome b genes had been reported in five species [Phasianus colchicus (ring-neck pheasant: RP), Gallus gallus domesticus (chicken: CH), Perdix perdix (grey partridge: GP), Bambusicola thoracia (Chinese bamboo partridge: CP), and Aythya americana (redhead: RH)], the concatenated nucleotide sequences (2184 bp) and amino acid sequences of these two genes were used in a phylogenetic analysis of JQ against these five species using a maximum likelihood (ML) method. Using the first and second bases of the codons, and the third base of the codons indicated a phylogenic tree of [RH, (RP, GP), (JQ, (CH, CP))]. A phylogenic tree of [RH, JQ, (RP, GP), (CH, CP)] was determined using amino acid sequences. Because the local bootstrap values for the JQ branch in these trees are not high, additional sequence is necessary for construction of a reliable tree.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Role of small mammals in the persistence of Louping-ill virus: field survey and tick co-feeding studies.

Louping-ill (LI) is a tick-borne viral disease of red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scoticus Lath. (Tetraonidae: Galliformes), and sheep, Ovis aries L. (Bovidae: Artiodactyla), that causes economic loss to upland farms and sporting estates. Unvaccinated sheep, grouse and mountain hares, Lepus timidus L. (Leporidae: Lagomorpha), are known to transmit LI virus, whereas red deer, Cenrus elaphus L. (Cervidae: Artiodactyla), and rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus L. (Leporidae: Lagomorpha), do not. However, the role of small mammals is unknown. Here, we determine the role of small mammals, in particular field voles, Microtus agrestis L. (Muridae: Rodentia), in the persistence of LI virus on upland farms and sporting estates in Scotland, using field sampling and non-viraemic transmission trials. Small mammals were not abundant on the upland sites studied, few ticks were found per animal and none of the caught animals tested seropositive to LI virus. Laboratory trials provided no evidence that small mammals (field voles, bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus L. (Muridae: Rodentia), and wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus L. (Muridae: Rodentia), can transmit LI virus between cofeeding ticks and, in the field, LI virus was prevalent only in areas with known LI virus competent hosts (grouse, mountain hares or unvaccinated sheep) and absent elsewhere. In contrast to the case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in Europe, it is concluded that small mammals seem to be relatively unimportant in LI virus persistence.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Ectoparasite ticks and chewing lice of red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa, in Spain.

During the 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 shooting seasons, 212 wild red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa (Galliformes: Phaisanide) were captured in 18 Spanish provinces and examined for chewing lice and ticks. Three tick species and six species of chewing lice were found. Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Haemaphysalis punctata Canestrini & Fanzago, Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch and Ixodes frontalis Panzer were found at the lowest prevalence (1.4% overall tick prevalence). The louse (Mallophaga) species, Goniodes dispar Burmeister (Goniodidae) (52.8%) and Cuclotogaster obscurior Hopkins (Philopteridae) (28.8%) were the most prevalent, while Goniocotes obscurus Giebel (Philopteridae) (10.8%), Menopon pallens Clay (Menoponidae) (7.5%) and Menacanthus lyali Rodriguez et al. (Menoponidae) (3.3%) were found at medium to low prevalence. Columbicola columbae columbae Linnaeus (Philopteridae) was found at the lowest prevalence (0.5%). The intensity of C. obscurior and overall intensity of all lice species were directly related to the environmental mean temperature and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), whereas intensity of G. dispar was directly related to NDVI only. The intensity of G. dispar, C. obscurior, all louse intensity, and louse species richness were higher in male than female birds. Intensity of each louse species, all louse intensity and louse species richness were inversely associated with the nutritional index. No relationship was observed between bird age and louse intensity or species richness.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Colour polymorphism in birds: causes and functions.

We studied polymorphism in all species of birds that are presently known to show intraspecific variation in plumage colour. At least three main mechanisms have been put forward to explain the maintenance of polymorphism: apostatic, disruptive and sexual selection. All of them make partly different predictions. Our aims were to investigate evolutionary causes and adaptive functions of colour polymorphism by taking into account a number of ecological and morphological features of polymorphic species. Overall, we found 334 species showing colour polymorphism, which is 3.5% of all bird species. The occurrence of colour polymorphism was very high in Strigiformes, Ciconiiformes, Cuculiformes and Galliformes. Phylogenetically corrected analysis using independent contrasts revealed that colour polymorphism was maximally expressed in species showing a daily activity rhythm extended to day/night, living in both open and closed habitats. All these findings support the hypothesis that colour polymorphism probably evolved under selective pressures linked to bird detectability as affected by variable light conditions during activity period. Thus, we conclude that selective agents may be prey, predators and competitors, and that colour polymorphism in birds may be maintained by disruptive selection.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2000

Allergy to eggs from duck and goose without sensitization to hen egg proteins.

BACKGROUND: Eggs are among the foods most frequently causing allergy. Hen eggs are the most important. Those of other birds are of lesser significance. OBJECTIVE: We report an unusual case of food allergy after consumption of eggs from duck and goose in an adult patient without hen egg allergy. METHODS: Skin prick tests were performed with fresh white and yolk from eggs of duck and goose and egg white, egg yolk, ovalbumin, and ovomucoid from hen egg. Specific serum IgE was measured to hen egg proteins. SDS-PAGE and IgE immunoblotting were carried out with egg white extracts from hen, duck, and goose. RESULTS: Skin tests were positive to egg whites from duck and goose. The skin tests and specific serum IgE were negative to hen egg proteins. Immunoblotting demonstrated the presence of specific IgE to a proteic band of molecular weight around 45 kd. CONCLUSIONS: We report a patient with an IgE-mediated allergy to egg white from duck and goose without hen egg allergy. Ovalbumin seems to be the responsible protein. The antigenic determinant of this protein seems to be specific of order Anseriforme and it is not present in the ovalbumin of order Galliforme.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Phylogenetic expression of Galalpha1-4Gal on avian glycoproteins: glycan differentiation inscribed in the early history of modern birds.

Glycoproteins containing Galalpha1-4Gal (galabiose) had been rarely found in vertebrates, except in a few species of birds and amphibians. We had previously reported that pigeon (Columba livia) egg white and serum glycoproteins are rich in N-glycans with Galalpha1-4Gal at nonreducing termini. To investigate the origin of Galalpha1-4Gal expression in avian evolution, we examined the presence of Galalpha1-4Gal glycoproteins in egg whites from 20 orders, 88 families, 163 genera, and 181 species of birds, as probed by Western blot with Griffonia simplicifolia-I lectin (terminal alpha-Gal/GalNAc-specific) and anti-P(1) mAb (Galalpha1-4Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-specific). One of the significant observations is the total absence of Galalpha1-4Gal glycoproteins in Struthioniformes (four species), Tinamiformes (three species), Craciformes (two species), Galliformes (14 species), and Anseriformes (10 species), which are phylogenetically separated from other orders at earlier stage of modern bird diversification (100-65 million years ago). The presence or absence of Galalpha1-4Gal glycoproteins in other avian orders varied by the species (104 species positive, and 44 species negative), even though some of them belong to the same order or family. Our results revealed that the expression of Galalpha1-4Gal glycoproteins is not rare among avians, and is correlated with the phylogeny. The expression was most likely differentiated at earlier stage of diversification in modern birds, but some birds might have lost the facility for the expression relatively recently.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, a v-Jun target gene, induces oncogenic transformation.

Jun is a transcription factor belonging to the activator protein 1 family. A mutated version of Jun (v-Jun) transduced by the avian retrovirus ASV17 induces oncogenic transformation in avian cell cultures and sarcomas in young galliform birds. The oncogenicity of Jun probably results from transcriptional deregulation of v-Jun-responsive target genes. Here we describe the identification and characterization of a growth-related v-Jun target, a homolog of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF). HB-EGF is strongly expressed in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) transformed by v-Jun. HB-EGF expression is not detectable or is marginal in nontransformed CEF. Using a hormone-inducible Jun-estrogen receptor chimera, we found that HB-EGF expression is correlated with v-Jun activity. In this system, induction of v-Jun is followed within 1 hr by elevated levels of HB-EGF. In CEF infected with various Jun mutants, HB-EGF expression is correlated with the oncogenic potency of the mutant. Constitutive expression of HB-EGF conveys to CEF the ability to grow in soft agar and to form multilayered foci of transformed cells on a solid substrate. These observations suggest that HB-EGF is an effector of Jun-induced oncogenic transformation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗