Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol 3, 243-261, Copyright © 1986 by Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
RC Hardison and RE Gelinas
In order to study the relationships among mammalian alpha-globin genes, we
have determined the sequence of the 3' flanking region of the human alpha 1
globin gene and have made pairwise comparisons between sequenced
alpha-globin genes. The flanking regions were examined in detail because
sequence matches in these regions could be interpreted with the least
complication from the gene duplications and conversions that have occurred
frequently in mammalian alpha-like globin gene clusters. We found good
matches between the flanking regions of human alpha 1 and rabbit alpha 1,
human psi alpha 1 and goat I alpha, human alpha 2 and goat II alpha, and
horse alpha 1 and goat II alpha. These matches were used to align the
alpha-globin genes in gene clusters from different mammals. This alignment
shows that genes at equivalent positions in the gene clusters of different
mammals can be functional or nonfunctional, depending on whether they
corrected against a functional alpha-globin gene in recent evolutionary
history. The number of alpha-globin genes (including pseudogenes) appears
to differ among species, although highly divergent pseudogenes may not have
been detected in all species examined. Although matching sequences could be
found in interspecies comparisons of the flanking regions of alpha- globin
genes, these matches are not as extensive as those found in the flanking
regions of mammalian beta-like globin genes. This observation suggests that
the noncoding sequences in the mammalian alpha-globin gene clusters are
evolving at a faster rate than those in the beta-like globin gene clusters.
The proposed faster rate of evolution fits with the poor conservation of
the genetic linkage map around alpha-globin gene clusters when compared to
that of the beta-like globin gene clusters. Analysis of the 3' flanking
regions of alpha-globin genes has revealed a conserved sequence
approximately 100-150 bp 3' to the polyadenylation site; this sequence may
be involved in the expression or regulation of alpha-globin genes.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Assignment of orthologous relationships among mammalian alpha-globin genes by examining flanking regions reveals a rapid rate of evolution
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
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