The nucleotide sequence of the chick cytoplasmic β-actin gene

Abstract

The nudeotide sequence of the chick β-actin gene was determined. The gene contains 5 introns; 4 interrupt the translated region at codons 41/42, 120/122, 267, 327/328 and a large intron occurs in the 5′ untranslated region. The gene has a 97 nudeotide 5 ′-untrtranslated region and a 594 nudeotide 3′-untranslated region. A slight heterogeneity in the position of the poly A addition site exists; polyadenylation can occur at either of two positions two nucleotides apart. The gene codes for an mRNA of 1814 or 1816 nucleotides, excluding the poly(A) tail. In contrast to the chicle skeletal muscle actin gene the β-actin gene lacks the Cys codon between the initiator ATG and the codon for the N-terminal amino acid of the mature protein. la the 5′ flanking DNA, 15 nucleotides downstream from the CCAAT sequence, is a tract of 25 nucleotides that is highly homologous to the sequence found in the same region of the rat β-actin gene. © 1983 IRL Press Limited.