Cloning and chromosomal assignment of the porcine interleukin-2 receptor alpha (IL-2R alpha) gene

Porcine genomic DNA encoding a 55 kDa subunit of interleukin-2 receptor (IL -2R), which is termed alpha chain (IL-2R alpha), was cloned by repeated pla que hybridization using IL-2R alpha cDNA as a probe. Two different lambda p hage clones, one of which encoded exon 1 and the 5'-upstream flanking regio n of IL-2R alpha gene and another encoded the sequence from exon 2 to exon 8, were isolated. By analysis of the 5'-upstream region of the gene, putati ve binding motifs for transcription factors such as GATA family proteins, I karos, NF-kappa B, NF-IL2R alpha and SRF, were Found as described in human, murine and bovine genes. Two additional motifs for STAT4 binding were also found in this region. Moreover, using the FISH technique, we assigned the porcine IL-2R alpha locus to the distal end of the long arm of chromosome 1 0 (10q6-qter) where the vimentin gene had been assigned nearby.