Genomic Expansion Across the Albumin Gene Family on Human Chromosome 4q Is Directional

Abstract

The albumin gene family arose in a series of duplication events which gave rise to symmetry in its structure. The four genes are tandemly linked on human chromosome 4q in the order: 5′ ALB-5′ AFP-5′ ALF-5′ DBP-centromere, and their introns display a symmetrical and repetitive pattern that is shared by members of the gene family. These repetitive motifs provide an internal reference, allowing observations of evolutionary changes within a single line (human) of evolutionary descent. The four genes and three intergenic regions between them increase in size as they get closer to the centromere. An invasion by multiple repetitive DNA elements may account, in part, for this expansion.