Isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone for human ferritin heavy chain.
Ferritin, the main iron-storage protein, is composed of two partially homologous subunits, heavy (H) and light (L), with MrS of 21,000 and 19,000, respectively. We have isolated a cDNA clone for human ferritin H chains by screening a human lymphocyte cDNA library with synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides. The oligonucleotide sequences were derived from two pentapeptides found in human spleen ferritin. The selected clone hybridized to both probes and selected H-chain mRNA, but not L-chain mRNA, when hybridized to HeLa cell mRNA. These results indicate that the cloned DNA codes for a H chain of human ferritin. Since the amino acid sequence derived from the cloned DNA was almost identical to the partial amino acid sequence of a minor component found in human spleen ferritin, we conclude that the minor sequence found in human spleen ferritin must be a H subunit. Genomic analysis gives a complex pattern that suggests that ferritin H chains are encoded by a multigene family or have an unusually large number of exons.
D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005293:Ferritins / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000235:genetics
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D004247:DNA; D005293:Ferritins