Gene cloning and biochemical characterization of the BMP-2 of Pinctada fucata.

The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) constitute a subfamily of the transforming growth factor type beta (TGF-beta) supergene family. BMP-2 plays an important role not only in osteoblast differentiation but also in pattern formation during development. To determine the function of BMP-2 in Pinctada fucata development and hard tissue formation, we isolated a BMP-2 genomic DNA clone and the BMP-2 cDNA.