Characterization of the mouse PDGF A-chain gene. Evolutionary conservation of gene structure, nucleotide sequence and alternative splicing.

The mouse platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain gene has been structurally characterized and compared with its human counterpart. The organization of the two genes is similar. Both consist of 7 exons spaced by 6 introns of corresponding sizes. As in the human gene, exon 6 encodes a sequence which is alternatively spliced. When present, it codes for an alternative C-terminus of the A-chain. In intron 5, conserved stretches of nucleotides, potentially involved in the regulation of the alternative splicing, are identified. The untranslated sequences show a high degree of nucleotide sequence identity and several conserved consensus binding sites for transcription factors are identified within the 5' untranslated as well as in the 5' flanking region.