LOCALIZATION OF THE L-GLUTAMINE SYNTHETASE GENE TO CHROMOSOME 1Q23

Glutamine synthetase (E.C. 6.3.1.2) is expressed throughout the body a nd plays an important role in controlling body pH and in removing ammo nia from the circulation. The enzyme clears L-glutamate, the major neu rotransmitter in the central nervous system, from neuronal synapses. T he enzyme is a very sensitive marker of many disease and aging process es, especially those involving reactive oxygen species. This report de scribes the localization of the enzyme to chromosome 1 by PCR analysis of a human/rodent somatic cell hybrid panel. We also describe the loc alization of a recently described pseudogene to chromosome 9. Further localization of the glutamine synthetase gene locus to 1q23 was accomp lished by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The glutamine synthetase gene was mapped to five CEPH megaYACs between the polymorphic PCR mar kers D1S117 and D1S466 by analysis of the Whitehead Institute's recent ly described chromosome 1 contig map. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.