Sequence of the goat alpha-lactalbumin-encoding gene: comparison with the bovine gene and evidence of related sequences in the goat genome.

The isolation and characterization of a genomic clone encoding goat alpha-lactalbumin (alpha LA) are described, and its sequence was aligned with that of its bovine counterpart. The 5'-flanking regions are highly homologous, but two small insertions were found in the goat sequence. One of these insertions fills the gap found in the so-called 'milk-box' consensus sequence of the bovine gene. Southern analysis indicates the presence of several alpha LA-related sequences in the goat genome, as previously observed in cow and sheep, which suggests that the relevant duplication event(s) occurred before divergence of these ruminant species.