Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of α- and β-globin cDNAs from yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata

Two α- and two β-globin genes from the yellowtail were cloned and their nucleotide sequences determined. The entire open reading frames of α-globin A and B genes were 432 and 435 bp long, respectively, whereas the corresponding values of the yellowtail β-globin A and B genes were both 447 bp. Amino acid identity of the yellowtail α- or β-globin gene compared with those reported in other vertebrates including shark, teleosts and human, ranged from 35.4 to 83.0%. The yellowtail α-globin B has a unique inserted amino acid residue in the 48th position, not found in other fish α-globin genes. The orientation of α- and β-globin genes open reading frames was head-to-head.