Isolation and characterization of cDNA clones encoding the skeletal and smooth muscle Xenopus laevis β tropomyosin isoforms

Abstract cDNAs clones corresponding to the skeletal and smooth muscle β tropomyosins isoforms were isolated from a Xenopus laevis embryo cDNA library. Sequence analysis indicated that the two isoforms are coded by a single gene that uses two couples of alternative exons. The expression of the X. laevis β tropomyosin gene closely resembles that of the mammalian gene but differs from the avian gene.