Localization of the human prealbumin gene to chromosome 18

A human liver cDNA library was screened using an oligonucleotide probe based on the amino acid sequence of human prealbumin. The cDNA insert of one positive clone was sequenced and found to contain the entire coding sequence of human prealbumin plus untranslated 5' and 3' regions. This cDNA was used to probe DNA from a panel of mouse/human somatic cell hybrids. Only those hybrids containing human chromosome 18 showed the human-specific hybridization pattern, thereby localizing the human prealbumin gene to this chromosome.