Rj. Olds et al., COMPLETE NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE OF THE ANTITHROMBIN GENE - EVIDENCE FOR HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION CAUSING THROMBOPHILIA, Biochemistry, 32(16), 1993, pp. 4216-4224
Antithrombin is the principle regulator of thrombin and other blood co
agulation proteinases. It is a member of the serpin family of proteina
se inhibitors, The genomic sequence of the antithrombin locus has been
completed, revealing a gene spanning 13 477 base pairs from the trans
cription start site to the poly(A) addition signal. Nine complete and
one partial Alu repeat elements were identified within the introns of
the gene, with all but one orientated in the reverse direction. Inheri
ted deficiency of antithrombin is associated with a venous thrombotic
tendency. Restriction fragment mapping of the antithrombin genes in an
individual with type I antithrombin deficiency identified an intragen
ic deletion in one allele. Localization of the deletion breakpoints in
volved restriction analysis and direct sequencing of amplified DNA spa
nning the deletion site. The deletion removed 2761 base pairs, affecti
ng exon 5 and flanking introns, with the deletion ends contained withi
n the left components of two Alu elements. It is likely, therefore, th
at the deletion arose by homologous recombination between the two Alu
elements.