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Parental genomic imprinting of the human IGF2 gene

Nature Genetics volume 4, pages 98–101 (1993)Cite this article

Abstract

The mouse igf2 gene, coding for the insulin–like growth factor II (IGF–II) is parentally imprinted, only the gene copy derived from the father is expressed. To know whether IGF2, the human homologue, is also imprinted, we used an Apal polymorphism at the 3′ untranslated region in order to distinguish between mRNA derived from each copy of the gene in placentae from heterozygote human fetuses, studied after careful removal of the decidua. Six term and two pre–term placentae of heterozygotes were studied, and in each case the cDNA contained only one of the two alleles present in the genomic DNA. In three cases the mother was homozygous for the non–expressed allele, allowing assignment of paternal origin to the transcribed gene copy. We conclude that, as in the mouse, human IGF2 is parentally imprinted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3H 1P3

    Nick Giannoukakis, Cynthia G. Goodyer & Constantin Polychronakos

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3W 2C2

    Cheri Deal & Jean Paquette

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  1. Nick Giannoukakis
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  5. Constantin Polychronakos
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Giannoukakis, N., Deal, C., Paquette, J. et al. Parental genomic imprinting of the human IGF2 gene. Nat Genet 4, 98–101 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0593-98

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