Rat metallothionein-1 structural gene and three pseudogenes, one of which contains 5'-regulatory sequences.

Author:

Andersen R D,Birren B W,Taplitz S J,Herschman H R

Abstract

As shown by Southern blot analysis, the metallothionein-1 (MT-1) genes in rats comprise a multigene family. We present the sequence of the MT-1 structural gene and compare its features with other metallothionein genes. Three MT-1 pseudogenes which we sequenced apparently arose by reverse transcription of processed mRNA transcripts. Two of these, MT-1 psi a and MT-1 psi c, are retrogenes which derive from the MT-1 mRNA, having diverged from the MT-1 gene 6.9 and 2.6 million years ago, respectively. The third, MT-1 psi b, differs from the MT-1 cDNA by only three nucleotide alterations. Surprisingly, MT-1 psi b also preserves sequence homology for 142 base pairs 5' to the transcription initiation site of the parent gene; it contains a promoter sequence sufficient for specifying metal ion induction. We identified, by S1 nuclease mapping, an RNA polymerase II initiation site 432 base pairs 5' of the MT-1 transcription initiation site of the MT-1 structural gene which could explain the formation of the mRNA precursor to this pseudogene. We were unable to detect MT-1 psi b transcripts, either in liver tissue or after transfection. We conclude that the absence of detectable transcripts from this pseudogene is due to either a reduced level of transcription or the formation of unstable transcripts as a consequence of the lack of a consensus sequence normally found 3' of transcription termination in the MT-1 structural gene.

Publisher

American Society for Microbiology

Subject

Cell Biology,Molecular Biology

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3