CHROMOSOMAL LOCATION AND SOME STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF HUMAN CLATHRIN LIGHT-CHAIN GENES (CLTA AND CLTB)

Two human clathrin light-chain genes have been defined, The gene (CLTA ) encoding the LCa light chain maps to the long arm of chromosome 12 a t 12q23-q24 and that encoding the LCb light chain (CLTB) maps to the l ong arm of chromosome 4 at 4q2-q3. Isolation and characterization of p artial genomic clones encoding human LCa and LCb reveal the neuron-spe cific insertions of the LCa and LCb proteins to be encoded by discrete exons, thus proving that clathrin light chains undergo alternate mRNA splicing to generate tissue-specific protein isoforms. The insertion sequence of LCb is encoded by a single exon and that of LCa by two exo ns. The first of the two neuron-specific LCa exons is homologous to th e corresponding LCb exon. An intronic sequence of the LCb gene with si milarity to the second neuron-specific exon of the LCa gene has been i dentified. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.