GENOMIC ORGANIZATION OF THE HUMAN SPOCK GENE AND ITS CHROMOSOMAL LOCALIZATION TO 5Q31

SPOCK, previously identified as testican, is a modular proteoglycan th at carries both chondroitin and heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan side chains. The overall genomic organization has been established. The SP OCK gene spans at least 70 kb and is composed of 11 exons: the first h alf of the gene is dramatically expanded, but the second half is more compact. In situ hybridization and YAC mapping independently linked th e SPOCK gene to 5q31, a region containing an impressive number of gene s encoding growth factors, cytokines, and neurotransmitter and hormone receptors, The gene is located between the IL9 and the EGR1 genes, bo rdering the smallest commonly deleted region of chromosome 5, (C) 1998 Academic Press.