Identification of a Novel Highly Conserved Gene in the Centromeric Part of the Major Histocompatibility Complex

Abstract

A novel highly conserved gene designatedSacm2laliasAre1) has been identified and fine mapped in the centromeric part of the major histocompatibility complex in rat, human, and mouse.Sacm2lis closely linked to the ribosomal protein S18 geneRps18with a distance of about 450 bp between the respective translational start points. NumerousSacm2l-homologous EST sequences can be identified in the database. Northern blot experiments of ratSacm2lrevealed a transcript of 3 kb in each organ tested, and by RT-PCR differentially spliced products could be detected in testis RNA. The deduced amino acid sequence of the ratSacm2lgene shows a putative coiled-coil region and significant homology to a putativeCaenorhabditis elegansprotein and the yeast SAC2 protein.