Organization of the gene for human factor XI

Factor XI (plasma thromboplastin antecedent) is a plasma glycoprotein that participates in the early phase of blood coagulation. The gene for the human protein has been isolated from two different lambda phage genomic libraries. Four independent recombinant lambda phage carrying overlapping DNA inserts that coded for the entire gene for factor XI were isolated and characterized by restriction mapping, Southern blotting, and selective DNA sequencing to establish the number and location of the intron-exon boundaries. The gene for human factor XI was 23 kilobases in length and consisted of 15 exons (I-XV) and 14 introns (A-N). Exon I coded for the 5' untranslated region, and exon II coded for the signal peptide. The next eight exons (III-X) coded for the four tandem repeats of 90 or 91 amino acids that were present in the amino-terminal region of the mature protein. Each of these tandem repeats was coded by two exons that were interrupted by a single intron, and these introns were located in essentially the same position within each of the four tandem repeats. The carboxyl-terminal region of the protein, which contained the catalytic chain, was coded by five exons (XI-XV) that were interrupted by four introns. The last four introns were located in the same positions as those in the genes for human tissue plasminogen activator and human urokinase.