Structure, Expression and Regulation of the Rat Preprotachykinin I Gene

We have investigated the expression of the rat preprotachykinin I (PPTI) gene responsible for the production of substance P (SP), substance K (SK) and neuropeptide K (NPK) by using a variety of biochemical and molecular biological strategies. In this report we shall summarize our results concerning the analysis of the rat PPTI gene, molecular cloning of various mRNAs derived from this gene, hybridization analysis of the steady-state expression of the mRNAs in the rat striatum, the structure of three rat preprotachykinins and initial studies on the regulation of striatal PPTI gene expression. We shall not discuss PPTII gene expression, which is responsible for the production of β-neurokinin, a third mammalian tachykinin.