Full-length cDNA sequence of X-linked G6PD of an Australian marsupial, the wallaroo

In order to study the mechanism of X Chromosome (Chr) inactivation in marsupials, the cDNA for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) from an Australian marsupial, the wallaroo (Macropus robustus), was cloned. A partial clone containing the 3' half of the cDNA was obtained by screening a liver cDNA library. The majority of the coding region was obtained by polymerase chain reaction of cDNA with primers designed from regions of conservation between human and opossum G6PD. The 5' end was obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. High homology was observed between mammalian species in the coding region. The 5' untranslated region is highly G+C rich, and appears to be part of a CpG island, as is the case in the human and mouse genes. This is the first report of the full sequence of the cDNA for any marsupial X-linked gene.