Molecular analysis of mouse alcohol dehydrogenase: nucleotide sequence of the Adh-1 gene and genetic mapping of a related nucleotide sequence to chromosome 3.

The mouse has three genes (Adh) encoding alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzymes of different tissue specificity and catalytic properties. Identified regulatory loci are known to affect the expression of Adh-1 and Adh-3, which are closely linked on chromosome 3. The Adh-1 gene product is expressed predominantly in liver, and its mRNA product is androgen-inducible in kidney. In this study, genomic clones of Adh-1 were obtained from a Balb/cJ DNA library. The nucleotide sequences of all exons, intron/exon boundaries and 5'- and 3'-flanking regions were obtained. The gene spans nearly 13 kb and is divided into nine exons and eight introns. The transcription start point of this gene was determined by S1 nuclease mapping studies and presumptive regulatory regions in the 5'-flanking regions were identified, including a TATA box and a glucocorticoid-responsive element. A restriction fragment length polymorphism in the Adh-1 gene was identified among inbred strains and mapped at the [Adh-1, Adh-3] complex on chromosome 3. An additional 'Adh-like' sequence in the genome was also mapped to chromosome 3 approx. 9 centiMorgans from Adh-1.