Porcine relaxin. Gene structure and expression.

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Molecular Biology
• Reproductive Biology

Background:

• The porcine relaxin gene's structure and regulation are crucial for understanding reproductive processes.
• Genomic libraries are essential tools for isolating and characterizing specific genes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct a porcine genomic cosmid library for studying the relaxin gene.
• To elucidate the structure, sequence, and regulatory elements of the porcine relaxin gene.

Main Methods:

• Construction and screening of a porcine genomic cosmid library.
• Isolation and sequencing of cosmids containing relaxin-specific sequences.
• DNA sequencing, Northern blotting, and primer extension analysis.

Main Results:

• A 9-kilobase fragment containing the single-copy porcine relaxin gene was sequenced.
• The gene consists of two exons separated by a 5.5-kilobase intron.
• Promoter regions showed homology to retroviral LTRs and adenovirus E4 promoter.

Conclusions:

• The porcine relaxin gene structure and promoter elements have been characterized.
• Understanding these elements provides insights into the regulation of relaxin gene expression in the pregnant ovary.
• The presence of repetitive sequences suggests potential roles in gene regulation or evolution.