Allele-specific methylation and expression of an imprinted U2afl-rsl (SP2) gene

The mouse U2af1-rs1(SP2) gene, which was cloned by a two-dimensional genome scanning method, is expressed exclusively from the paternally inherited chromosome. This gene has significant similarity to U2AF and located in chromosome 11, of which maternal duplication/paternal deficiency results in a small body. In this report, we cloned genomic U2af1-rs1(SP2) and found its promoter was methylated in a maternal-allele-specific manner. This allelic methylation was not established in parental gametes, but established between 1.5 d.p.c. and 12.5 d.p.c. on the contrary, the allele-specific expression occurred in the two-cell stage when transcription initiates. Absence of the methylation of the upstream region in this stage indicates that methylation is not necessary for inactivation of the expression.