A comparison of snRNP-associated Sm-autoantigens: Human N, rat N and human B/B′

Abstract

N is a tissue-specific, Sm-epitope bearing, snRNP-associated protein found predominantly in brain. The cDNA sequence encoding human N is compared to those for rat N and human B/B′. The amino acid sequences of human and rat N are 100% conserved. Although the amino acid sequences of N and B/B′ are very similar to each other, B7sol;B′ contains 50 amino acids which are not present in N. On Northern blots the cDNAs encoding N and B/B′ recognize two different RNA species. A comparison of the codon usage, as specified by the open reading frames of N and B/B′ as well as results from Southern blots, show that N and B/B′ are derived from different genes. © 1989 IRL Press.