Identification of taste-tissue-specific cDNA clones from a subtraction cDNA library of rat circumvallate and foliate papillae

To identify genes specifically expressed in taste tissues, we constructed a subtraction cDNA library of epithelium of rat circumvallate and foliate papillae and carried out differential screening of this library, Dot blot analysis showed 46 out of 88 clones obtained by this method to be expressed in the epithelium of papillae, The cDNA inserts in these clones were sequenced and analyzed for similarity to entries the GenBank database. About 54.3% of the clones were known sequences, including the sequences of ebnerin, cytokeratin 18, and Na+,K+-ATPase, that were shown by in situ hybridization to be expressed in the circumvallate papillae. About 41.3% of the papillae-specific clones had no significant similarity to known sequences and are candidates for novel taste bud-specific marker genes.