Abstract
The carp β-globin gene was cloned and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The carp β-globin gene contains three exons and two introns, as do other vertebrate β-globin genes. The coding regions of exons I, II, and III were 93 base pairs (bp), 222 and 129 bp in length, respectively. The intervening sequences were 106 and 121 bp long, respectively. A TATA box was found 88 bp upstream from the start site (ATG) of translation. In the 3' flanking region, there were two poly adenylation signals, AATAAA, on 90 and 172 bp downstream from the stop codon (TAG) of translation. The predicted amino acid sequences from the carp β-globin gene and cDNA were the same. The amino acid identity of the carp β-globin gene with those reported in other vertebrates including goldfish, rainbow trout, duck, goose, chicken, rat, and human, ranged from 52.4 to 97.3%. The carp β-globin has one inserted amino acid residue, which was also found in the reported amino acid sequences of other fish β-globins, but not in the other vertebrate β-globin polypeptides. The carp β-globin gene consisted of a family structure from the results of Southern hybridization.
