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Abstract
Based on the high conservation in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions of NGF cDNAs,
oligonucleotides complementary to all these known sequences were synthesized. By RT-PCR,
we successfully isolated the complementary DNA encoding NGF precursor from the Agkistrodon
halys Pallas (a Chinese snake strain). The nucleotide sequence which presents 90.5%,
88.6% and 63.4% homology to that of Krait Bungarus multicinctus, cobra and human NGF
respectively, encoded a prepro-NGF molecule with 241 amino acids and a mature NGF
molecule with 119 amino acids. The NGF cDNA inserts were subcloned into pCDNA3 expression
vector and then transfected into COS-7 cells. The supernatant of the transfected cells
turned out NGF biological activity as assayed by the survival rate of PC12 pheochromocytoma
cells.