Human growth hormone DNA sequence and mRNA structure: possible alternative splicing

We have determined the complete sequence of the human growth hormone(hGH) gene and the position of the mature 51 end of the hGH mRNA with in the sequence. Comparison of this sequence with that of a cloned hGH cENA shows that the gene is interrupted by four intervening sequences. SI mapping shows that one of these intervening sequences has two different 3′ splicesites. These alternate splicing pathways generate bGH peptides of differentsizes which are found in normal pituitaries. Comparison of sequences near the 5′ end of the hGH mRNA with a similar region of the α subunit of the human glycoprotein hormones reveals an unexpected region ofhomology between these otherwise unrelated peptide hormones.