Alteration of splice site selection by an exon mutation in the human glycophorin A gene.

We report the identification in human glycophorin A gene of a novel exon mutation that affects splice site selection. DNA mapping showed that the mutation has abolished a unique MspI site marking the exon III-intron 3 splice junction (ACCG/GT). Genomic sequencing confirmed the occurrence of a single G-->A transition at the terminal nucleotide position of exon III. Analysis of the mRNA composition demonstrated a partial inactivation of the altered 5' splice site as well as skipping of exons involving the alternative use of other constitutive splice sites. The full-length transcript with the cognate A change encodes a variant glycophorin with an arginine replacing a glycine at position 59 and defining the ERIK epitope, whereas the exon III-deleted transcript specifies a shorter glycophorin carrying the Sta antigen. Also identified were the misspliced mRNA species with exon I-IV and exon I-V connections generated by selection of 5' splice sites far distant from the mutated site. Although having a correct translation frame, the predicted polypeptides of such exon-skipping products were not assembled on the erythrocyte membrane probably due to the severe truncation of the signal sequence required for targeting and translocation. These observations reveal a new mechanism for antigenic diversity of human glycophorins.