We identified and characterized the rat DVL2 gene using bioinformatics. In addition to the structure and chromosomal localization of the rat DVL2 gene, the transcribed and translated protein product of the gene was analyzed in silico. | Turk J Biol 31 (2007) 81-86 © TÜB‹TAK Identification and Characterization of the Rat DVL2 Gene Using Bioinformatic Tools Lokman VARIfiLI, Osman ÇEN Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Harran University, fianl›urfa - TURKEY Received: Abstract: We identified and characterized the rat DVL2 gene using bioinformatics. In addition to the structure and chromosomal localization of the rat DVL2 gene, the transcribed and translated protein product of the gene was analyzed in silico. Results showed that the rat DVL2 gene consists of 15 exons and is located on the rat genomic contig on chromosome 10. Database searches using the rat DVL2 amino acid sequence as a query showed a number of homologous protein sequences in different species, including M. musculus, P. troglodytes, C. familiaris, H. sapiens, B. taurus, D. rerio, X. laevis, and T. nigroviridis. DAX, PDZ signaling, and DEP-conserved domain structures were identified within the rat DVL2 protein. Key Words: Bioinformatics, DVL2, rat genome, Wnt signaling Biyoinformatik Metodlar Kullanarak S›çan DVL2 Geninin Tan›mlanmas› ve Karakterizasyonu Özet: Bu çal›flmada biyoinformatik yaklafl›mlar kullanarak s›çan DVL2 genini tan›mlad›k ve karakterize ettik. S›çan DVL2 geninin yap› ve kromozomal lokalizasyonuna ek olarak genin kodlad›¤› protein de in silico olarak analiz edildi. Sonuçlar›m›za göre s›çan DVL2 geni 15 eksondan oluflmufl ve 10. kromozomdaki genomik kontig üzerinde bulunmaktad›r. S›çan DVL2 proteininin M. musculus, P. troglodytes, C. familiaris, H. sapiens, B. taurus, D. rerio, X. laevis ve T. nigroviridis türlerindeki homologlar› ve bunlar aras›ndaki homoloji oranlar› amino asit duzeyinde belirlendi. Rat DVL2 proteininde DAX, PDZ-Sinyalizasyon ve DEP korunmufl domeyn yap›lar› oldu¤u belirlendi. Anahtar Sözcükler: Biyoinformatik, DVL2, rat genomu, Wnt sinyalizasyonu Introduction Wnt signaling is conserved in various species and plays important roles in development and
