title: The control of expression of the alpha-globin gene cluster.
abstract: The alpha-globin gene cluster is located at the very tip of the short arm of chromosome 16. It produces the alpha-like globins, which is combined with the beta-like globins to form hemoglobin, and its mutants cause alpha-thalassemia, which is one of the most common genetic diseases. Its expression shows a tissue and developmental stage specificity that is balanced with that of the beta-globin gene cluster. In this article, we summarize the research on the control of expression of the alpha-globin gene cluster, mainly with respect to the alpha-major regulatory element (alpha-MRE): HS-40, the tissue-specific and developmental control of its expression, and its chromosomal environment. In summary, the alpha-globin gene cluster is expressed in an open chromosomal environment; HS-40, the 5'-flanking sequence, the transcribed region, and the 3'-flanking sequence interact to fully regulate its expression.
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hua-bing
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: De-Pei
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chih-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family
chemical_list: D005914:Globins