[PCR amplification and structural analysis of two paralogous rat estrogen sulfotransferase genes]

Estrogen sulfotransferases (STE) are members of a large superfamily of sulfotransferases. The expression of rat Ste genes is regulated in a tissue- and sex-specific manner. The cDNAs of two closely related rat estrogen sulfotransferases have been cloned earlier. By PCR performed on rat genomic DNA, we have amplified fragments of two estrogen sulfotransferase genes, Ste1 and Ste2, and established their exon-intron organization. By rapid amplification of the 5'-terminal cDNA sequences, the two variants of 5'-untranslated regions of both Ste1 and Ste2 mRNA were found. These variants are produced through transcription initiation from sites located in front of the alternative exons 1a and 1b and alternative splicing. Intron 1 of Ste1 gene contains the repeated element of ID family inserted after duplication of the ancestor gene.