THE HUMAN RIBOSOMAL-PROTEIN S7-ENCODING GENE - ISOLATION, STRUCTURE AND LOCALIZATION IN 2P25

We have identified a gene encoding the human ribosomal protein (r-prot ein) S7. The S7 gene contains seven exons and six introns spanning abo ut 6 kb, Organization of the gene is similar to that of Xenopus laevis S8, the only homologous intron-containing gene isolated so far, An mR NA transcribed from this gene has an open reading frame (ORF) of 582 n ucleotides (nt), which encodes a protein of 194 amino acids (22.1 kDa) . The transcription start point (tsp) was mapped by a primer extension assay to a C residue within a pyrimidine-rich tract. Human S7 (hS7) i s identical to rat S7 (rS7) and exhibits significant similarity with t he X. laevis, insect and plant homologs. We have used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to localize S7 to chromosome 2p25.