The sequences of an expressed rat alpha-tubulin gene and a pseudogene with an inserted repetitive element

The rat genome contains two segments closely related to a rat alpha-tubulin mRNA. Both have been cloned and complete nucleotide sequences are presented. Analysis of the structure and sequence of one of these establishes it as a functional alpha-tubulin gene. The second segment is a processed alpha-tubulin pseudogene. Comparison of this pseudogene to the mRNA and gene coding for alpha-tubulin strongly suggests that a mature mRNA was involved in its origin. Features of the pseudogene and a dispersed repetitive element inserted within it possibly reflect a common RNA-mediated process of insertion.