The primary transcription unit of the human alpha 2 globin gene defined by quantitative RT/PCR.

Journal article

We have set up an experimental system to map the primary transcription unit of the human alpha 2 globin gene. The duplicated human alpha globin genes (alpha 2-alpha 1) were linked to the alpha globin locus Positive Regulatory Element (PRE) and stably transfected into murine erythroleukaemia cells. We then developed a quantitative reverse transcriptase, polymerase chain reaction assay to map alpha 2 primary transcripts using primer pairs derived from different parts of the alpha 2 globin gene and its 3' flanking region. This approach has revealed the presence of steady state nuclear RNA past the poly(A) site of the alpha 2 globin gene at approximately 40% of the level of unspliced intron transcript. Furthermore, these 3' flanking transcripts diminish 500 bp into the 3' flanking region, identifying this part of the alpha 2 globin gene as the principal region of termination of transcription.

Authors: Owczarek, C; Enriquez-Harris, P; Proudfoot, N

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Nucleic acids research
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 851-858
• Publication date: 1992-02-01
• DOI: 10.1093/nar/20.4.851
• EISSN: 1362-4962
• ISSN: 0305-1048
• Language: English
• Keywords: Molecular Sequence Data; Humans; Cloning, Molecular; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Transcription, Genetic; Globins; Transfection; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; RNA, Messenger; Poly A; Multigene Family; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Base Sequence; Enhancer Elements, Genetic