A survey of the alpha-tubulin gene family in chicken: unexpected sequence heterogeneity in the polypeptides encoded by five expressed genes

EMBO J. 1988 Apr;7(4):931-40. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb02898.x.

Abstract

To characterize the alpha-tubulin gene family in chicken, we have isolated five chicken alpha-tubulin genes and determined the majority of the sequences of the encoded polypeptides. Three of these (c alpha 3, c alpha 5/6 and c alpha 8) encode novel, expressed alpha-tubulins that have not previously been analyzed, whereas one gene segment is a pseudogene and another appears capable of encoding a functional subunit (although we were unable to document its expression in a survey of chicken tissues). Together with two additional expressed, functional alpha-tubulins reported earlier, we conclude that the chicken alpha-tubulin family is comprised of at least five functional genes whose polypeptide products are substantially more heterogeneous than found in preceding analyses of vertebrate alpha-tubulins. Comparison of the amino acid sequences reveals that the five polypeptides are between 96 and 83% identical, with the extreme carboxy-terminal residues representing a highly heterogeneous variable domain. Since some alpha-tubulins undergo cyclic post-translational removal and readdition of a carboxy-terminal tyrosine, the notable sequence divergence in this domain suggests that individual tubulins probably participate to different extents in this modification cycle.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Chick Embryo
  • Chickens / genetics*
  • DNA / genetics
  • Genes*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Pseudogenes
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Tubulin / genetics*

Substances

  • Tubulin
  • DNA

Associated data

  • GENBANK/X07442
  • GENBANK/X07443
  • GENBANK/X07444
  • GENBANK/X08061
  • GENBANK/X08063
  • GENBANK/X08064