The single-copy gene encoding high-mobility-group protein HMG-I/Y from pea contains a single intron and is expressed in all organs

The coding and 3-downstream regions of the gene encoding the high mobility group protein HMG-I/Y from pea have been isolated, sequenced and characterised. A 795 bp pea genomic fragment containing the coding region of the pea HMG-I/Y gene with a single intron of 201 bp was isolated by PCR. The gene encodes a protein of 197 amino acid residues with four copies of the AT-hook DNA-binding motif encoded by exon 2. Southern blot analysis on genomic DNA revealed the presence of a single copy of the HMG-I/Y gene in the haploid genome. The pea HMG-I/Y gene is expressed in all organs of pea including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, tendrils and developing seeds, as determined by northern blot analysis.     

Isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone corresponding to bovine cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein and chromosomal localization of the corresponding human gene

A bovine adrenal cDNA library was constructed and a clone corresponding to cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein (CRABP) mRNA was isolated and sequenced. The insert of the clone corresponds to 75 bp of the 5' untranslated portion, the whole translated and the complete 3' untranslated portion of the bovine CRABP mRNA. A genomic Southern blot, probed with CRABP cDNA, indicated that only one copy of the gene is present in the human genome. Hybridizing bands in restricted chicken and fish DNA were also observed. Using the CRABP cDNA as probe we have located the human CRABP gene to chromosome 3 in hybridizations to mouse-human, hamster-human and rat-human cell hybrids. In situ hybridizations on rat testis cells probed with CRABP and cellular retinol-binding protein antisense mRNA indicate that both proteins are expressed in tubuli cells.     

Sequence of a sea urchin hsp70 gene and its 5' flanking region

We report the nucleotide sequence of a 4470-bp fragment derived from a sea urchin genomic clone containing part of a heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70)-encoding gene. This fragment, named hsp70 gene II, contains 1271 bp of the flanking region and 3299 bp of structural gene sequence interrupted by five introns and encoding the N-terminal 371 amino acids (aa) of the protein. The 5' flanking region contains a putative TATA element, two CCAAT boxes, four heat-shock consensus sequence elements (hse) and one consensus sequence for binding of Sp1. Remarkable homologies were observed for deduced aa sequence and intron-exon organization between hsp70 gene II and rat hsc73 gene.     

A marsupial phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) processed pseudogene

A clone that cross-hybridized with a full-length human cDNA PGK probe was isolated from a hill kangaroo (Macropus robustus: Marsupialia) lambda EMBL4 EcoRI genomic library. The clone was sequenced and demonstrated to be a pseudogene, with two deletions (one of 3 bases, the other 24 bases long), one single base insertion, and a nonsense mutation with respect to the functional human X-linked gene. It is flanked by terminal repeats in the 5' and 3' noncoding regions, but it has no 3' poly(A) remnant. The 3' untranslated region has a 34-bp sequence, with 29 bp homologous to the human 3' untranslated region. The overall percentage homology with the mouse and human X-linked PGK indicates that this pseudogene is probably more closely related to eutherian X-linked PGK genes than to the autosomal form. The results also suggest that pseudogenes are of considerable antiquity (greater than 100 MYr) in the mammalian lineage.