Crystallin Gamma B (CRYgB)

Gamma-crystallins are a homogeneous group of highly symmetrical, monomeric proteins typically lacking connecting peptides and terminal extensions. They are differentially regulated after early development. Four gamma-crystallin genes (gamma-A through gamma-D) and three pseudogenes (gamma-E, gamma-F, gamma-G) are tandemly organized in a genomic segment as a gene cluster. Whether due to aging or mutations in specific genes, gamma-crystallins have been involved in cataract formation. Den Dunnen et al. (1985) isolated a genomic cosmid clone containing 2 closely linked gamma-crystallin genes, CRYGB and CRYGC, oriented in the same direction. They sequenced the coding regions of the genes as well as their 5-prime and 3-prime flanking regions. The genes share 80% homology.