A gene from the region of the human X inactivation centre is expressed exclusively from the inactive X chromosome

• DOI: 10.1038/349038a0
• Publication Date: 2003-06-12T23:00:29Z
• Authors: Carolyn J. Brown; Andrea Ballabio; James L. Rupert; Ronald G. Lafreniere; Markus Grompe; Rossana Tonlorenzi; Huntington F. Wil...
• Keywords: XIST; Dosage compensation; Skewed X-inactivation

X-chromosome inactivation results in the cis-limited dosage compensation of genes on one of the pair of X chromosomes in mammalian females. Although most X-linked genes are believed to be subject to inactivation, several are known to be expressed from both active and inactive X chromosomes. Here we describe an X-linked gene with a novel expression pattern--transcripts are detected only from the inactive X chromosome (Xi) and not from the active X chromosome (Xa). This gene, called XIST (for Xi-specific transcripts), is a candidate for a gene either involved in or uniquely influenced by the process of X inactivation.