Conservation of ferritin heavy subunit gene structure: implications for the regulation of ferritin gene expression.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.84.21.7438
• Publication Date: 2006-05-31T10:28:25Z
• Authors: M T Murray; K White; H N Munro
• Keywords: Pseudogene; Coding region; SCN3A; Conserved sequence

Ferritin stores iron within a protein shell consisting of 24 subunits two types, heavy (H) and light (L). According to Southern blotting, the rat genome contains four copies homologous H-subunit cDNA (H cDNA). To determine whether only one these is expressed, H cDNAs isolated from liver heart mRNAs were compared found share identical nucleotide sequences. Next, genomic clones for three loci isolated. Two classical processed pseudogenes, whereas third contained an expressed gene. RNase intron mapping this gene generated same exon protection pattern when total RNA or was used, indicating that accounts most all mRNAs) in tissues. Comparison gene) structure with published sequences other species displays considerable conservation. The coding sequence predicts 95% similarity human amino acid sequence, thus being more highly conserved than L-subunit species. Near cap region 5' untranslated region, mRNA 28-nucleotide almost totally corresponding human, bullfrog, chicken also faithfully represented (L mRNAs), making prime candidate involvement known translational regulation both by iron. In flanking partially common may be involved transcriptional iron, those man imply factors independently control regulation.