TAIL-TO-HEAD ARRANGEMENT OF A PARTIAL CHICKEN GLYCERALDEHYDE-3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE PROCESSED PSEUDOGENE

A chicken glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) processed p seudogene was identified by inverse PCR using oligonucleotide primers specific for the 5' region of the GAPDH mRNA. Molecular cloning and se quence analysis of this genomic sequence shows that the processed pseu dogene is incomplete and arranged in a permuted tail-to-head order. We propose that the tail-to-head organization is the result of circulari zation and breakage of a GAPDH retrogene prior to chromosomal integrat ion. PCR analysis of DNAs from quail, pheasant, and various jungle fow l, shows pseudogene sequence. This is also the first published report of a processed pseudogene with a tail-to-head organization.