Logo image
Dystrophin gene transcripts skipping the mdx mutation
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Dystrophin gene transcripts skipping the mdx mutation

S.D. Wilton, D.E. Dye and N.G. Laing
Muscle & Nerve, Vol.20(6), pp.728-734
1997
url
Link to Published Version *Subscription may be requiredView

Abstract

The mdx mouse, an animal model used to study Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has a nonsense mutation in exon 23 of the dystrophin gene which should result in a truncated protein that cannot be correctly localized at the sarcolemma of the muscle fibers. Immunohistochemical staining with antidystrophin antibodies has shown that while most of the muscle tissue is dystrophin-negative, a small percentage of muscle fibers is clearly dystrophin-positive and has somehow bypassed the primary nonsense mutation. A sensitive nested polymerase chain reaction-based examination of dystrophin gene transcripts around the mdx mutation has revealed several alternatively processed transcripts. Four mRNA species skipped the mutation in exon 23, were in-frame, and could be translated into a shorter but still functional dystrophin protein. Specific tests for these transcripts demonstrated these were also present in normal mouse muscle tissue

Details

Metrics

28 Record Views
Logo image