Human chromosome 7 carries the beta 2 interferon gene.

A cDNA clone (pAE20-4) corresponding to the 1.3-kilobase human beta 2 interferon mRNA was used as a probe in blot-hybridization experiments of DNA from a panel of human-rodent somatic cell hybrids containing overlapping subsets of human chromosomes. The DNA hybridization experiments showed that the human beta 2 interferon gene is located on human chromosome 7. This assignment is consistent with previous experimental data in which the expression of the translationally active 1.3-kilobase beta 2 interferon mRNA was assayed in various somatic cell hybrids. Blot-hybridization experiments using DNA from different human cell strains and cell lines reveal distinct EcoRI restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the human beta 2 interferon gene.