RESUMO
Full-length cDNA of the Endothelial Differentiation-related Factor-1 (EDF-1) of Gekkojaponicus was obtained by the method of rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). EDF-1 is 1025 bp in length and contains an open reading frame (ORF) corresponding to a deduced protein of 148 amino acids. The molecular mass of the predicted protein is 16.28 kDa and its theoretical isoelectric point is 9.87. Its amino acid sequence shares 57-93% similarity with EDF-1 of a number of other species. Gecko EDF-1 is expressed in most gecko tissues examined including the brain, spinal cord, liver, and kidney, with higher levels in the last two. In situ hybridization (ISH) revealed that positive hybridization signals were present in both the gray and white matter of the spinal cord.