Characterization of murine Dhx32

In this report, we studied the expression of Dhx32, the murine counterpart of the human putative RNA helicase DHX32. Northern analysis showed widespread but variable level of expression among different tissues. RT-PCR detected the presence of two mRNA transcripts in several tissues that result from alternative usage of either exon 1 or exon 2 at the 5′ UTR. Immunohistochemistry showed the presence of Dhx32 in all tissues examined including spleen, kidney and liver. The distribution of Dhx32 proteins was not uniform among different cell types within the same tissue, suggesting cell type-dependent regulation of expression. Finally, electron microscope immunocytochemistry detected the presence of Dhx32 in the mitochondria of hepatocytes.