THE MOUSE PLK GENE - STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION, CHROMOSOMAL LOCALIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF A PROCESSED PLK PSEUDOGENE

The Plk gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase believed to be important for the normal progression of mammalian cells through the ce ll cycle. In this paper, we report the genomic organization of the mou se Plk gene. The mouse Plk gene encompasses 16 kb of the mouse genome and is organised into 10 exons. Based on homology with the human PLK1 promoter region, the putative mouse promoter region includes a CCAAT m otif but lacks the conventional TATA motif. The proposed promoter regi on contains consensus binding sites for several transcriptional regula tors, including Spl and AP2. In addition to the active copy of Plk, Pl k exists as a processed pseudogene. Using RFLP analysis, we have local ized the active Plk gene to mouse Chromosome 7 and the processed pseud ogene to mouse Chromosome 5. Southern blot analysis of DNA from a limi ted number of other mammalian species suggests that the duplication is confined to the mouse. Parsimony analysis suggests that the gene dupl ication leading to the mouse Plk pseudogene occurred after the rat-mou se split. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.