Concerted evolution of human amylase genes

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Mol. Cell. Biol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.8.3.1197· OSTI ID:5113842

Gumucio, D L; Wiebauer, K; Caldwell, R M; Samuelson, L C; Meisler, M H

Cosmid clones containing 250 kilobases of genomic DNA from the human amylase gene cluster have been isolated. These clones contain seven distinct amylase genes which appear to comprise the complete multigene family. By sequence comparison with the cDNAs, the authors have identified two pancreatic amylase gene and three salivary amylase genes. Two truncated pseudogenes were also recovered. Intergenic distances of 17 to 22 kilobases separate the amylase gene copies. Within the past 10 million years, duplications, gene conversion, and unequal crossover events have resulted in a very high level of sequence similarity among human amylase gene copies. To identify sequence elements involved in tissue-specific expression and hormonal regulation, the promoter regions of the human amylase genes were sequenced and compared with those of the corresponding mouse genes. The promoters of the human and mouse pancreatic amylase genes are highly homologous between nucleotide - 160 and the cap site. Two sequence elements througth to influence pancreas-specific expression of the rodent genes are present in the human genes. In contrast, similarity in the 5' lanking sequences of the salivary amylase genes is limited to several short sequence elements whose positions and orientations differ in the two species. Some of these sequence elements are also associated with other parotid-specific genes and may be involved in their tissue-specific expression. A glucocorticoid response element and a general enhancer element are closely associated in several of the amylase promoters.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Human Genetics, Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0618 (US)
• OSTI ID: 5113842
• Journal Information: Mol. Cell. Biol.; (United States), Journal Name: Mol. Cell. Biol.; (United States) Vol. 8:3; ISSN MCEBD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
550400 -- Genetics
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADRENAL HORMONES
AMYLASE
ANIMALS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BODY
CLONING
CORTICOSTEROIDS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DNA-CLONING
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ENZYMES
GENE REGULATION
GENE REPRESSORS
GENES
GENETIC MAPPING
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HYDROLASES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
MAMMALS
MAN
MAPPING
MICE
NUCLEOPROTEINS
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PANCREAS
PREGNANES
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
RODENTS
SALIVARY GLANDS
SPECIFICITY
STEROIDS
SYNTHESIS
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES