Glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit is coded by a multigene family located on a single mouse chromosome.

A cloned DNA probe of Ya, the major glutathione S-transferase subunit in rat liver, was used to study the organization of Ya genes in the mouse genome. Southern blot analysis of mouse genomic DNA indicates that the Ya subunit is encoded by a multigene family. The chromosomal distribution of Ya genes was determined by analysis of DNA from a panel of mouse-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids. All detectable Ya genes were found to be located on chromosome 9. At least some of the Ya-specific DNA sequences are clustered since, by screening a mouse genomic library, two recombinant phages, each containing two different Ya DNA sequences in the same insert, have been isolated. The finding that Ya is encoded by a cluster of different genes raises the question of the specificity of the different Ya DNA sequences.