Identification of TSIX, encoding an RNA antisense to human XIST, reveals differences from its murine counterpart: implications for X inactivation.

ABSTRACT: X inactivation is the mammalian method for X-chromosome dosage compensation, but some features of this developmental process vary among mammals. Such species variations provide insights into the essential components of the pathway. Tsix encodes a transcript antisense to the murine Xist transcript and is expressed in the mouse embryo only during the initial stages of X inactivation; it has been shown to play a role in imprinted X inactivation in the mouse placenta. We have identified its counterpart within the human X inactivation center (XIC). Human TSIX produces a >30-kb transcript that is expressed only in cells of fetal origin; it is expressed from human XIC transgenes in mouse embryonic stem cells and from human embryoid-body-derived cells, but not from human adult somatic cells. Diffe

SUBMITTER: Migeon BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1274371 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature