title: The human hyaluronan synthase genes: genomic structures, proximal promoters and polymorphic microsatellite markers.
abstract: The glycosaminoglycan (GAG) hyaluronan (HA) is a key component of the vertebrate extracellular matrix (ECM) and is synthesised by the HA synthase (HAS) enzymes HAS1, HAS2 and HAS3 at the plasma membrane. Accumulating evidence emphasises the relevance of HA metabolism in an increasing number of processes of clinical interest including renal fibrosis and peritoneal mesothelial wound healing. In the present study, the genomic sequences and organisation of the genes encoding the human HAS isoforms were deduced, in silico, from reference cDNA and genomic sequence data. These data were confirmed in vitro by sequencing of PCR-amplified HAS exons and flanking genomic sequences, comparison with sequence data for the corresponding murine Has orthologues, rapid amplification of 5' cDNA ends analysis and luciferase reporter assays on putative proximal promoter sequences. The HAS1 gene comprised five exons, with the translation start site situated 9bp from the 3' end of exon 1. In contrast, the genomic structures for HAS2 and both HAS3 variants spanned four exons, exon 1 forming a discrete 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) and the translation start site lying at nucleotide 1 of exon 2. Dinucleotide microsatellite loci were identified in intron 1 of HAS1 and HAS2, and immediately upstream of the HAS3 gene and their utility as linkage markers demonstrated in genomic DNA (gDNA) studies. We thus present a comprehensive resource for mutation detection screening of all HAS exons and/or linkage analysis of each HAS gene in a variety of disorders for which they are attractive candidates.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nephrology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Monslow
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: Iain K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Nigel M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Buckland
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Spicer
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Topley
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005091:Exons; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D006801:Humans; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases; D007438:Introns; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014166:Transferases; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014166:Transferases; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; C056944:HAS1 protein, Xenopus; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases