Protein forming a water channel and gene therefor.

摘要

A WCH-1 cDNA probe specific to mRNA expressing a water channel localized in the kidney collecting tubule and complementary to said mRNA, and the sequence are described. Same is obtainable by a) subjecting a single-chain cDNA prepared from kidney medullary mRNA of a mammal, preferably a rat, to PCR using, as degenerate primers, <IMAGE> and <IMAGE> and b) screening a kidney cDNA library of said mammal using a product of said PCR as a probe. WCH-1 protein molecules constituting said water channel can be produced by Escherichia coli producing protein molecules expressed by the WCH-1 gene. The figure shows an increase in osmotic water permeability of Xenopus oocytes in which WCH-1 RNA has been injected compared to a control sample. <IMAGE>