Complete cDNA sequence of the Ki-ras proto-oncogene in the liver of wild English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) and mutation analysis of hepatic neoplasms and other toxicopathic liver lesions.

Abstract

A complete copy of Ki-ras b cDNA from English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus), a benthic marine flatfish, was cloned and sequenced. The percent identity between the predicted amino acid sequence of English sole and human Ki-ras b was 97%, whereas the percent identity between the English sole gene and rainbow trout or Rivulus Ki-ras b was 98%. Areas of amino-acid sequence conservation included codons 12, 13, and 61, the positions in which mutations are observed in ras cellular oncogenes in other species. The 5' untranslated region (UTR), consisting of 217 nt, was not highly GC rich but contained four ATG start codons upstream of the major open reading frame. The 3' UTR, containing 26 nt, was AU rich. Analysis of Ki-ras mutations was performed on a variety of necrotic, preneoplastic, and neoplastic lesions in livers from 13 English sole collected from contaminated waterways in Puget Sound, WA. Despite reports of Ki-ras mutations in hepatic tumors from other fish, no mutations in codons 12, 13, or 61 were found in hepatic lesions from English sole by direct DNA sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-amplified genomic DNA. Although mutations could exist at levels below the detection limits of this analysis, the results suggest that Ki-ras has a role in liver carcinogenesis that varies according to the fish species or carcinogen. Furthermore, future studies of the etiology of chemically induced cancer in feral English sole should consider mutations in other cancer-related genes, such a5p53, Ha-ras, and N-ras.

• Authors: K A Peck-Miller, M Myers, T K Collier, J E Stein
• Journal: Molecular carcinogenesis (Mol Carcinog) Vol. 23 Issue 4 Pg. 207-16 (Dec 1998) ISSN: 0899-1987 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9869449 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• DNA, Complementary
• MAS1 protein, human
• Proto-Oncogene Mas
• RNA, Messenger

Topics

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animals
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (chemically induced, genetics, metabolism, veterinary)
• Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury
• DNA Mutational Analysis
• DNA, Complementary (genetics)
• Female
• Fishes (genetics)
• Flatfishes (genetics, metabolism)
• Genes, ras
• Humans
• Liver (chemistry, drug effects)
• Liver Diseases (genetics, metabolism)
• Liver Neoplasms (chemically induced, genetics, metabolism, veterinary)
• Male
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Precancerous Conditions (chemically induced, genetics, metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Mas
• RNA, Messenger (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Sequence Alignment
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Species Specificity
• Washington
• Water Pollution (adverse effects)