STRUCTURE AND SEQUENCE OF AN INTRONLESS GENE FOR HUMAN CASEIN KINASE II-ALPHA SUBUNIT

Using sixteen different primers based on the cDNA sequence of the human casein kinase II-alpha subunit, different fragments of this gene were amplified by PCR from human genomic DNA. The sizes of these fragments were identical to amplified cDNA, which suggests the existence of an intronless genomic gene. The amplification was carried out on whole blood genomic DNA from three different individuals. The total sequence of the amplified casein kinase II-alpha gene showed more than 99% homology to the cDNA. The gene contains a noninterrupted open reading frame, as expected for the homolog cDNA. Although the gene sequence is complete, four point mutations were found. Since there are no interruptions of the open reading frame, this intronless gene might be expressed.