Correlations of repetitive and AT-rich DNA segments within the chicken globin gene domains

The repetitive DNA segments were mapped within a 30 Kbp genomic domain including (in 5 to 3 order) the chicken embryonic pi and adult alpha D (minor) and alpha A (major) globin genes. Two repeats map 5 and 8 Kbp upstream from the embryonic pi gene and another 3 Kbp downstream of the adult alpha A gene. These repetitive DNA sequences are placed within, or immediately adjacent to the AT-rich DNA segments framing this domain. Similar correlations exist also within the chicken beta globin gene domain. The positions of these AT-rich and repetitive DNA segments framing the alpha globin gene domain also correlate with other already explored features of long range DNA organisation, as clusters of sites of DNAse I hypersensitivity and differential methylation, sites of Matrix-DNA attachment, and with the beginning and end of the transcribed domain.     

Demonstration of an enhancer activity in a fragment of DNA located at the 3' of the adult alpha globin gene in the duck

We found an enhancer element placed at the 3' side of the adult duck alpha A globin gene. The duck alpha globin gene cluster contains three genes from the 5' to 3' side: the pi embryonic gene, the alpha D minor adult gene and the alpha A adult major gene. We analyzed a 16 kb genomic domain extending from 2 kb upstream of the pi gene to 5 kb downstream of the alpha A gene. This enhancer is active in AEV transformed chicken erythroblasts. Its is inactive both in HeLa cells and in the human erythroid cells K562 which express only embryonic genes. These findings are discussed in relation to previous results concerning the duck beta globin enhancer located at the 3' side of the beta A globin gene.     

Conservation and variation in the large scale organisation of the globin gene domains of duck and chicken

Summary The genomic DNA of cloned recombinants containing the duck globin genes was compared to that of the analogous domains of the chicken. A 36 kb insert including the three alpha-type globin genes was isolated from a newly prepared duck genomic library in the cosmid PJB8; another recombinant contained a 45 kb insert with the four beta globin genes. In the alpha globin gene domain, the relative positions of genes, of repetitive sequences, and of the A+T-rich segments (AT-rich linkers, ATRLs) which frame the gene cluster (Moreau et al. 1982), were found to be closely maintained between duck and chicken. Although ATRLs and repetitive sequences also frame the gene cluster in the beta globin domains of duck and chicken, there is more genetic drift in their relative positions than in the alpha domain. It is of interest that several repetitive DNA segments were detected in the chicken beta globin domain which do not exist in corresponding positions in the duck. In view of the strict conservation in both species of genes and their relative positions in the cluster, this observation seems to exclude a simple function of repetitive sequences in the control of individual genes. The data are discussed with regard to the possible significance of repetitive and AT-rich DNA segments in genome organisation and function.     

The duck beta-globin gene cluster contains a single enhancer element

An erythroid-specific enhancer was previously identified in the 3'-flanking region of the beta adult gene in chicken and duck, by transfection into AEV transformed chicken erythroblasts. Here we show that the duck enhancer is equally active in erythroid human K562 cells, presenting an embryonic/fetal program of globin gene expression. Furthermore, no other enhancer was found within the 20 kb of DNA including four beta-like globin genes as well as a 1.5 kb upstream and a 3 kb downstream sequence.     

Isolation of the chicken beta-globin gene and a linked embryonic beta-like globin gene from a chicken DNA recombinant library.

A library of random chicken DNA fragments, 15-22 kb long, has been prepared in the vector lambda Charon 4A. This library was screened with combined adult and embryonic globin cDNA, and several independent globin gene-containing recombinants were isolated. One of these recombinants, lambda Chicken beta-globin 1 (lambda C beta G1), contains the adult chicken beta-globin gene and a closely linked embryonic beta-like globin gene. Both genes are transcribed in the same direction with the adult gene located 5' to the embryonic gene. Electron microscopic visualization of R loop structures generated by hybridization of globin RNA to lambda C beta G1 demonstrates that both globin genes contain major intervening sequences about 800 bp long, similar to those present in mammalian beta-globin genes. The adult beta-globin gene also contains a minor (approximately 100 bp long) intervening sequence analogous to the one observed in mammalian beta-globin genes. Restriction enzyme analysis of the adult beta-globin gene on lambda C beta G1 is consistent with the hypothesis that its two intervening sequences occur in the same positions with respect to the beta-globin amino acid sequence as do the corresponding mammalian intervening sequences.     

Extensive methylation of a part of the CpG island located 3.0-4.5 kbp upstream to the chicken alpha-globin gene cluster may contribute to silencing the globin genes in non-erythroid cells

Here, we show that in the chicken genome, the domain of alpha-globin genes is preceded by a CpG island of which the downstream part ( approximately 0.65 kbp) is heavily methylated in lymphoid cells; it is either non-methylated or undermethylated in erythroid cells. Recombinant plasmids were constructed with the corresponding DNA fragment (called "uCpG") placed upstream to a reporter CAT gene expressed from the promoter of the alpha(D) chicken globin gene. Selective methylation of CpG dinucleotides within the uCpG fragment suppressed fivefold the expression of the CAT gene, when neither this gene itself nor the alpha(D) promoter were methylated. Methylation of CpG dinucleotides within the alpha(D) gene promoter did not modify the suppression effect exerted by methylated uCpG. We interpret these results within the frame of the hypothesis postulating, that methylation of the upstream CpG island of the chicken alpha-globin gene domain may play an essential role in silencing the alpha-globin genes in non-erythroid cells.     

Location of DNA sequences complementary to small nuclear repeat RNA (fr 3-RNA) in relation to DNA sequences coding for albumin and alpha-fetoprotein in rat liver cells

Rat liver nuclei contain a 29-nucleotides-long RNA (fr 3-RNA) which is transcribed from middle repetitive DNA sequences. By Southern analysis of restriction fragments of rat albumin and alpha-fetoprotein genomic clones, DNA sequences complementary to this RNA were detected on a 4.6 kbp Eco RI fragment located 600 bp downstream from the termination exon of the albumin gene and on a 2 kbp Eco RI-HindIII fragment located 10 kbp downstream from the restriction fragment containing the alpha-fetoprotein site. No sequence complementary to this RNA was found either in the introns of exons of both genes or in the regions extending 7 kbp upstream from the first albumin exon and 10 kbp upstream of the first alpha-fetoprotein exon. We concluded that sequences complementary to fr 3-RNA are present at the 3'-end flanking regions of the rat albumin and alpha-fetoprotein gene complexes.     

Location of DNA sequences complementary to small nuclear repeat RNA (fr 3-RNA) in relation to DNA sequences coding for albumin and α-fetoprotein in rat liver cells

Rat liver nuclei contain a 29-nucleotides-long RNA (fr 3-RNA) which is transcribed from middle repetitive DNA sequences. By Southern analysis of restriction fragments of rat albumin and α-fetoprotein genomic clones, DNA sequences complementary to this RNA were detected on a 4.6 kbp EcoRI fragment located 600 bp downstream from the termination exon of the albumin gene and on a 2 kbp EcoRI-HindIII fragment located 10 kbp downstream from the restriction fragment containing the α-fetoprotein site. No sequence complementary to this RNA was found either in the introns of exons of both genes or in the regions extending 7 kbp upstream from the first albumin exon and 10 kbp upstream of the first α-fetoprotein exon. We concluded that sequences complementary to fr 3-RNA are present at the 3′-end flanking regions of the rat albumin and α-fetoprotein gene complexes.     

Chromosomal arrangement of the chicken β-type globin genes

We have isolated the chicken β-type globin genes from a library of chicken DNA-λ Charon 4A recombinant bacteriophage. There are four β-type genes within this segment of the genome; we believe this represents all of the β-type genes of the chicken. The recombinant λCβG1 contains the embryonic ?- and adult β-globin genes. The hatching β^H and embryonic p-globin genes are found in the recombinant λCβG2. Although λCβG1 and λCβG2 do not physically overlap, we present evidence that all four genes are closely linked and transcribed from the same DNA strand. These experiments demonstrate that the chromosomal regions represented by λCβG1 and λCβG2 lie approximately 1.6 kb apart in the chicken genome. A third recombinant λCβG3 extends the genomic locus studied in the vicinity of the β-type globin genes to approximately 39 kb. The physical order of the chicken β-type globin genes within this segment of the chromosome is 5′ … ?-β^H-β-? … 3′. This arrangement is unique among the vertebrate β-type globin gene clusters thus far examined, in that embryonic genes are located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the cluster while the hatching and adult genes occupy central positions.