title: [Gene families of G protein subunits].
abstract: G proteins are heterotrimers composed of alpha, beta, and gamma subunits. So far 16 alpha, 6 beta, and 12 gamma subunit genes have been described in mammals. G protein subunit gene families are comparatively conservative and primitive, with all of which exon-intron junctions conform to the GT-AG rule except for one alternative splice site at 5'-end of exon 4 in Gnas which uses GT-TG junction. In the coding regions, exon-intron structures and intron positions among each of the subunit gene families are comparatively conserved. Most of the G protein genes have some characteristics of housekeeping genes. Analysis of distribution of G protein subunit genes in mammalian genomes reveals a tendency of clustering, with five pairs of the alpha subunit genes arranging as tandem duos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: You-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / Q000235:genetics; D044387:GTP-Binding Protein beta Subunits / Q000235:genetics; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits / Q000235:genetics; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits; D044387:GTP-Binding Protein beta Subunits; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins