Isolation and characterization of the rat glutathione S-transferase Yb1 subunit gene.

We have isolated and characterized a rat liver glutathione S-transferase Yb1 subunit gene. DNA sequence analysis of the Yb1 subunit gene indicates that it comprises eight exons separated by seven introns and spans approximately 5.0 kb. The transcription initiation site has been mapped by primer extension experiments. Transcription begins at a guanine residue 29 nucleotides downstream from a "TATA" sequence. The DNA sequences of all exons and some introns share significant sequence identity with the corresponding exons and introns in the Yb2 subunit gene characterized by Tu and co-workers [J. Biol. Chem. 263, 11389-11395 (1988)]. The isolation and characterization of the glutathione S-transferase Yb1 gene will allow for a detailed analysis of regulatory elements required for transcriptional regulation of this gene.