CpG islands in human ZFX and ZFY and mouse Zfx genes: Sequence similarities and methylation differences
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); and others
The human ZFX, human ZFY, and mouse Zfx genes have CpG islands near their 5` ends. These islands are typical in that they span about 1.5 kb, contain transcription initiation sites, and encompass some 5` untranslated exons and introns. However, comparative nucleotide sequencing of these humans and mouse islands provided evidence of evolutionary conservation to a degree unprecedented among mammalian 5` CpG islands. In one stretch of 165 nucleotides containing 19 CpGs, mouse Zfx and human ZFX are identical to each other and differ from human ZFY at only 9 nucleotides. In contrast, we found no evidence of homologous CpG islands in the mouse Zfy genes, whose transcription is more circumscribed than that of a human ZFX, human ZFY, and mouse Zfx. Using the isoschizomers HpaII and MspI to examine a highly conserved segment of the ZFX CpG island, we detected methylation on inactive mouse X-chromosomes. These observations parallel the previous findings that mouse Zfx undergoes X inactivation while human ZFX escapes it. 62 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 258273
- Journal Information:
- Genomics, Vol. 29, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: 20 Sep 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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