title: A novel gene is transcribed in the chicken alpha-globin gene domain in the direction opposite to the globin genes.
abstract: A novel gene transcribed in the direction opposite to that of the globin genes was found in the chicken alpha-globin gene domain. Northern hybridisation with single-stranded riboprobes revealed that a 4.5-kb poly(A)+ RNA is transcribed in antisense polarity with respect to the globin genes. The transcription unit encoding this RNA seems to overlap the entire cluster of alpha-globin genes and extends at least 15 kb upstream from pi, the first of the alpha-globin genes. This new transcript shows partial sequence homology with that encoded by the human "-14" gene. An oligonucleotide based on part of a restriction fragment of chicken DNA that is 80% homologous to exon 4 of the human "-14" gene hybridises with a 4.5-kb RNA molecule. In situ hybridisation of globin-antisense probes, that detect polyribosomal mRNAs of 1.7 and 2.5 kb on Northern blots, shows these "antisense" transcripts to be present in the cytoplasm. The 4.5-kb RNA is absent in polyribosomal poly(A)+ RNA and may, hence, represent a nuclear pre-mRNA transcribed from the chicken gene that is homologous to the human "-14" gene. The expression of this gene is not specific to erythroid cells; analogous transcripts were also detected in poly(A)+ RNA extracted from a chicken lymphoblastoma cell line (HP50). Taken together, these data allow us to postulate the existence in the chicken genome of a novel gene, for which we suggest the name "ggPRX" in analogy to the murine mProx1, a gene identified in the upstream region of the alpha-globin gene domain in mice.
authors.affiliation: Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sjakste
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Iarovaia
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Razin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Linares-Cruz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sjakste
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Le Gac
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scherrer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005091:Exons; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D015347:RNA Probes / Q000235:genetics; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D015347:RNA Probes; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005914:Globins