一个有假基因特点的鼻咽癌相关基因的分离和克隆

用定位候选克隆法克隆了一个与鼻咽癌相关的基因，命名为NAG73基因，结构分析显示NAG73的基因序列无内含子，无典型的启动子序列，polyA尾，与人类生长激素促分泌因子基因的第4个外显子和3′端非翻译区同源，说明NAG73可能是人类生长激素促分泌因子基因的假基因，同时，实验证明NAG73在一些细胞和组织中活跃表达，在正常鼻咽上皮细胞，鼻咽癌上皮细胞和鼻咽癌活检组织，NAG73有表达差异，序列分析显示NAG73有编码翻译产物的可能，NAG73可能可编码产物，该产物在鼻咽癌的发病发展中发挥作用。

Identification and characterization of a nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)related gene which shows the hallmark characteristics of a processed pseudogene

A nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) related gene, named NAG73 which mapped to 3p25～26 was identified by positional candidate cloning. Structural analysis reveals that NAG73 has an intronless genomic sequence, which is homologous with the fourth exon and 3′UTR of Homo sapiens Growth Hormone Secretagogue Precursor Gene (GHRELIN). NAG73 has no 5′ promoter sequence, and has putative polyA. The results suggest that NAG73 might be a processed pseudogene of GHRELIN. It has been showed that NAG73 is actively transcribed in some cells and tissues examined. There is expression difference between normal nasopharynx epithelia and nasopharyngeal carcinoma epithelia. And there is potential for a NAG73 encoded translation product. So, it is possible that NAG73 is translated and the product might act on the tumorigenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.