GNAS complex locus
GNAS complex locus, also known as GNAS, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the GNAS gene. The protein encoded by this gene is the stimulatory G-protein alpha subunit (Gs-α), a key component of many signal transduction pathways.
Gene
This gene locus has a highly complex imprinted expression pattern. It gives rise to maternally, paternally, and biallelically expressed transcripts that are derived from four alternative promoters and 5' exons. Some transcripts contains a differentially methylated region (DMR) at their 5' exons, and this DMR is commonly found in imprinted genes and correlates with transcript expression. An antisense transcript exists, and this antisense transcript and one of the transcripts are paternally expressed, produce noncoding RNAs, and may regulate imprinting in this region. In addition, one of the transcripts contains a second overlapping ORF, which encodes a structurally unrelated protein.
The GNAS locus is imprinted and encodes 5 main transcripts:
