The Atp1a1 gene from inbred Dahl salt sensitive rats does not contain the A1079T missense transversion.

The existence of the A1079T transversion in the alpha1 isoform of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase (Atp1a1) gene in Dahl salt-sensitive rat (SS/Jr) strain, discovered by Herrera and Ruiz-Opazo and proposed to underlay hypertension sensitivity, represents one of the most controversial topics in hypertension research. As our research group did not have any previous connection to any party in this dispute nor to hypertension-related research, we were asked (J Hypertens. 2006;24:2312-2313) to definitively adjudge the existence of the A1079T transversion. Hence, different state-of-the art SNP detection technologies that depend on a variety of mechanisms and enzymes to detect the transversion in genomic DNA as well as cDNA derived from different tissues were used. Although it was possible to readily detect other silent polymorphisms between SS and SR strains in the Atp1a1 gene by all methods used, no evidence for the existence of the A1079T transversion in SS/Jr rats was found.