Expression and partial DNA sequence of the chicken beta H-globin gene

We have determined the DNA sequence of the 3' end of the putative beta H-globin gene of chickens and used an S1 nuclease protection assay to analyze transcription of this gene. Appearance of mRNA corresponding to the putative beta H-globin gene in the erythroid cells of developing chicken embryos coincides with the reported expression of the beta H-globin protein, a constitutent of hemoglobin H which is a minor component in the definitive cells of late embryos and newly hatched chickens, thereby confirming the tentative identification of this gene as beta H. Analysis of the DNA sequence of the 3'-flanking region of the beta H gene revealed the presence of a complex array of direct repeats. A part of this "repeat cluster" is homologous to an inserted element in the large intron of the goat beta A- and beta C-globin genes.