This web page was produced as an assignment for Genetics 564, and undergraduate course at UW-Madison.
RAG1 gene
RAG1 cytogenetics
Figure 1: The location of RAG1 as shown on the 11th chromosome. RAG1 is located at locus 11p13.
Homology
What is homology?
When genes in two species are highly similar due to a common ancestor, we say that these genes are homologous. Homologous genes are very useful to researchers as a tool to study how a gene may cause a disease in humans. With a homologous gene in a model organism, such as mice, researchers can investigate and better understand the gene, and hopefully apply that knowledge to humans.
RAG1 homology
RAG1 is part of the adaptive immune system. Because of this, it is not present in many model organisms, such as Drosophila, arabadopsis, or yeast. Below is a graph depicting gene similarity and links to information for some organisms that do have a homologous gene.
Homo sapiens (human)
Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: NM_000448.2 FASTA Length: 6,582bp |
Mus musculus (house mouse)
Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: NM_009019.2 FASTA Length: 6,669 83% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Felis catus (House cat) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_003993168.1 FASTA Length: 3,132 bp 90% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Gorilla gorilla (Gorilla) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_004050958.1 FASTA Length: 6,586 bp 99% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_001154240.4 FASTA Length: 6,708 bp 99% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Pteropus alecto (Black flying fox) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_006908040.1 FASTA Length: 4,407 bp 87% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 |
Rattus norvegicus (brown rat)
Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: NM_053468.1 FASTA Length: 6,537 bp 83% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Canis lupus familiaris (dog) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_540538.1 FASTA Length: 3,132 bp 81% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Camelus ferus (Bactrian Camel) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_006195031.1 FASTA Length: 3,132 bp 89% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Bos taurus (domestic cow) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_010812795 FASTA Length: 6,945 bp 85% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 Trichechus manatus (West Indian manatee) Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) Accession number: XM_004369807.1 FASTA Length: 3,132 bp 91% identical to human gene E value: 0.0 |
Discussion
The RAG1 gene is highly conserved among the organisms that have had the gene sequenced. This high level of conservation likely indicates an important conserved function. This makes sense, as the protein is involved in regulation of one of the most powerful, and potentially dangerous systems, the adaptive immune system [2]. These conserved genes can also be used to study diseases involving the gene (such as Omenn Syndrome) in other organisms.
References
1) All sequence information and homologues were identified with BLAST: http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi
2) Aickelin, U. and Cayzer, S. (2008). The Danger Theory and Its Application to Artificial Immune Systems. ICARIS 1: (141-148)
Image References
Banner image: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/RAG1
Human: http://www.earthwalkproject.org/Interacting-as-a-Vibrational-Being.php
House mouse: http://famebiography.net/mouse/
Brown rat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rat
House cat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat
Dog: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beagle
Gorilla: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla
Bactrian camel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactrian_camel
Chimpanzee: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimpanzee
Domestic cow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle
Black flying fox: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_flying_fox
West Indian manatee: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indian_manatee
2) Aickelin, U. and Cayzer, S. (2008). The Danger Theory and Its Application to Artificial Immune Systems. ICARIS 1: (141-148)
Image References
Banner image: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/RAG1
Human: http://www.earthwalkproject.org/Interacting-as-a-Vibrational-Being.php
House mouse: http://famebiography.net/mouse/
Brown rat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rat
House cat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat
Dog: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beagle
Gorilla: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla
Bactrian camel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactrian_camel
Chimpanzee: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimpanzee
Domestic cow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle
Black flying fox: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_flying_fox
West Indian manatee: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indian_manatee