Genomic rearrangement of the α-globin gene complex during mammalian evolution

• Published in: Biochemical genetics Vol. 31; no. 11-12; pp. 473 - 484
• Main Authors: TAN, H, WHITNEY, J. B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Plenum Press 01-12-1993
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Evolution; Chromosome Mapping; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes; Genetic Linkage; Genetic Variation; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Genome; Globins - genetics; Hominidae - genetics; Humans; Isoelectric Focusing; Mammalia; Mammals - genetics; Mice - genetics; Mice, Inbred Strains - genetics; Species Specificity; Thiolester Hydrolases - genetics; Chromosomal aberration; Genetic mapping; Mus musculus; Linkage; Enzyme; Biological evolution; Rodentia; Esterases; Thiolester hydrolases; Globin; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Gene rearrangement; Hydroxyacylglutathione hydrolase; Abnormal chromosome; Hydrolases; Alpha-Peptide chain; Chromosome translocation
• ISSN: 0006-2928; 1573-4927
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02426879

In man, the gene for hydroxyacyl glutathione hydrolase (HAGH; glyoxalase II) is closely linked to the alpha-globin locus (HB alpha) on Chromosome 16. HAGH polymorphism in the mouse has now enabled the mapping of the murine homologue. Deletion mapping, congenic strain studies, and characterization of 41 recombinant inbred strains establish that the mouse Hagh locus lies very close to the alpha-globin pseudogene (Hba-ps4) in the vicinity of the major histocompatibility locus (H-2) on chromosome 17. Several other loci have been identified previously that are also closely linked to the human alpha-globin locus but near the alpha-globin pseudogene Hba-ps4 in the mouse. These linkage relationships suggest that during the evolution of mice a translocation occurred that subdivided the alpha-globin locus, leaving one inactive alpha-globin gene still associated with the Hagh locus and linked sequences, while moving and inserting the active alpha-globin locus and all distal sequences into an internal location on another autosome, the predecessor to mouse chromosome 11.