Skip to main content
Log in

Evolution of the glycophorin gene family in the hominoid primates

  • Published:
Biochemical Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Analysis of nucleotide sequences of the human glycophorin A (GPA) and glycophorin B (GPB) genes has indicated that the GPA gene most closely resembles the ancestral gene, whereas the GPB gene likely arose from the GPA gene by homologous recombination. To study the evolution of the glycophorin gene family in the hominoid primates, restricted DNA on Southern blots from man, pygmy chimpanzee, common chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, and gibbon was probed with cDNA fragments encoding the human GPA and GPB coding and 3′-untranslated regions. This showed the presence in all of the hominoid primates of at least one GPA-like gene. In addition, at least one GPB-like gene was detected in man, both chimpanzee species, and gorilla, strongly suggesting that the event that produced the GPB gene occurred in the common ancestor of man-chimpanzee-gorilla. An unexpected finding in this study was the conservation ofEcoRI restriction sites relative to those of the other four enzymes used; the significance of this observation is unclear, but raises the question of nonrandomness ofEcoRI restriction sites in noncoding regions. Further analysis of the evolution of this multigene family, including nucleotide sequence analysis, will be useful in clarification of the evolutionary relationships of the hominoid primates, in correlation with the structure and function of the glycophorin molecules, and in assessment of the role of evolution in the autogenicity of glycophorin determinants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, J., and Rothman, E. D. (1982). Estimation of phylogenetic relationships from DNA restriction patterns and selection of endonuclease restriction sites.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 793560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, A., and Vogelstein, B. (1984). A technique for radiolabelling DNA restriction endonuclease fragments to high specific activity.Anal. Biochem. 137266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, C.-H., Johe, K., Moulds, J. J., Siebert, P. D., Fukuda, M., and Blumenfeld, O. O. (1987). Delta glycophorin (glycophorin B) gene deletion in two individuals homozygous for the S-s-U- blood group phenotype.Blood 701830.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jemmerson, R., and Margoliash, E. (1979). Specificity of the antibody response of rabbits to a self antigen.Nature 282468.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kudo, S., and Fukuda, M. (1989). Structural organization of glycophorin A and B genes: Glycophorin B gene evolved by homologous recombination at Alu repeat sequences.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 864619.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kudo, S., and Fukuda, M. (1990). Identification of a novel human glycoprotein, glycophorin E, by isolation of genomic clones and complementary DNA clones utilizing polymerase chain reaction.J. Biol. Chem. 2651102 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Maniatis, T., Fritsch, E. F., and Sambrook, J. (1982).Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahuel, C., London, J., Vignal, A., Cherif-Zahar, B., Colin, Y., Siebert, P., Fukuda, M., and Cartron, J.-P. (1988). Alteration of the genes for glycophorin A and B in glycophorin-A-deficient individuals.Eur. J. Biochem. 177605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rearden, A. (1986). Evolution of glycophorin A in the hominoid primates studied with monoclonal antibodies, and description of a sialoglycoprotein analogous to human glycophorin B in chimpanzee.J. Immunol. 1362504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rearden, A., Phan, H., and Fukuda, M. (1990). Multiple restriction fragment length polymorphisms associated with the Vc determinant of the MN blood group-related chimpanzee V-A-B-D system.Biochem. Genet. 28223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siebert, P., and Fukuda, M. (1986). Human glycophorin A and B are encoded by separate, single copy genes coordinately regulated by a tumor-promoting phorbol ester.J. Biol. Chem. 26112433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siebert, P., and Fukuda, M. (1987). Molecular cloning of a human glycophorin B cDNA: Nucleotide sequence and genomic relationship to glycophorin A.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 846735.

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern, E. M. (1975). Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis.J. Mol. Biol. 98503.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health Grants AM33463 and CA33000.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rearden, A., Phan, H., Kudo, S. et al. Evolution of the glycophorin gene family in the hominoid primates. Biochem Genet 28, 209–222 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00561338

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00561338

Key words

Navigation