title: Porcine relaxin. Gene structure and expression.
abstract: A porcine genomic cosmid library was constructed to study the structure and regulation of the porcine relaxin gene. Two overlapping cosmids containing relaxin-specific sequences were isolated, and a 9-kilobase BamHI fragment containing the porcine relaxin gene was sequenced. The sequence derived from these cosmids was used to characterize the relaxin gene transcription unit utilized in the pregnant ovary. Analysis of chromosomal and cosmid DNA has shown that porcine relaxin is encoded by a single copy gene, comprising two exons separated by a 5.5-kilobase intron. The gene contains elements representing two classes of repeated sequences homologous with the human Alu and Kpn families. The transcriptional initiation site of this gene was located by primed extension and direct sequencing of relaxin-specific cDNA. Furthermore, the promoter elements were mapped and sequenced, and transcriptional activity was demonstrated. The promoter contained sequences with homology to regions conserved within retroviral long terminal repeats and within the adenovirus E4 promoter.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011061:Poly A / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012065:Relaxin / Q000235:genetics*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013552:Swine; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA; D012065:Relaxin