title: Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of chicken avidin-related genes 1-5.
abstract: Using avidin cDNA as a hybridisation probe, we detected a gene family whose putative products are related to the chicken egg-white avidin. Two overlapping genomic clones were found to contain five genes (avidin-related genes 1-5, avr1-avr5), which have been cloned, characterized and sequenced. All of the genes have a four-exon structure with an overall identity with the avidin cDNA of 88-92%. The genes appear to have no pseudogenic features and, in fact, two of these genes have been shown to be transcribed. The putative proteins share a sequence identity of 68-78% with avidin. The amino acid residues responsible for the biotin-binding activity of avidin and the bacterial biotin-binding protein, streptavidin, are highly conserved. Since avidin is induced in both a progesterone-specific manner and in connection with inflammation, these genes offer a valuable tool to study complex gene regulation in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Keinänen
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wallén
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Kristo
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Laukkanen
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Toimela
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Helenius
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kulomaa
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001360:Avidin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D001710:Biotin / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005091:Exons; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D011544:Pseudogenes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D019809:Streptavidin; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C086248:preavidin; D001360:Avidin; D001710:Biotin; D004247:DNA; D019809:Streptavidin