An exon encoding the mouse growth hormone binding protein (mGHBP) carboxy terminus is located between exon 7 and 8 of the mouse growth hormone receptor gene.

A C57 black/6 mouse genomic library was screened for mGHR/BP using a mGHR cDNA hybridization probe. Two clones (mGHR-GA and mGHR-GB) were isolated. mGHR-GA contained an insert of 16 kb and hybridized only to exon 4 whereas mGHR-GB possessed an insert of 20 kb and hybridized to exons 6-10 of the mGHR cDNA. Oligonucleotide sequencing analysis confirmed that the mGHR-GA contained exon 4 and that the mGHR-GB possessed mGHR/BP genomic sequences from intron V through the 3' region of mGHR. In addition, mGHR-GB also contained a region, designated exon 8A, encoding the carboxy terminus of mGHBP. This exon is located between exons 7 and 8 of mGHR/BP gene. Two poly(A) additional signal sequences were found 54 bp downstream of the stop codon of mGHBP. Additionally, introns between exons 3/4 and 4/5 are > 12 and > 3 kb, respectively. Also, introns between exons 5/6, 6/7, 7/8A, 8A/8 (3' region of mGHBP), 8/9, 9/10, and the 3' region of mGHR are approx > 3 kb, 4 kb, 287 bp, 1569 bp, 6 kb, 265 bp, and > 3 kb, respectively. This study supports the hypothesis that mGHBP is generated by alternative splicing of a common primary mGHR transcript. It also demonstrates differences and similarities between mGHR/BP and hGHR genes.