Alternative Gnas gene products have opposite effects on glucose and lipid metabolism.

ABSTRACT: Gnas is an imprinted gene with multiple gene products resulting from alternative splicing of different first exons onto a common exon 2. These products include stimulatory G protein alpha-subunit (G(s)alpha), the G protein required for receptor-stimulated cAMP production; extralarge G(s)alpha (XLalphas), a paternally expressed G(s)alpha isoform; and neuroendocrine-specific protein (NESP55), a maternally expressed chromogranin-like protein. G(s)alpha undergoes tissue-specific imprinting, being expressed primarily from the maternal allele in certain tissues. Heterozygous mutation of exon 2 on the maternal (E2m-/+) or paternal (E2+/p-) allele results in opposite effects on energy metabolism. E2m-/+ mice are obese and hypometabolic, whereas E2+/p- mice are lean and hypermetabolic. We now studi

SUBMITTER: Chen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1129092 | biostudies-literature | 2005 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature