Nitrogen Permease Regulator Like Protein 3 (NPRL3)

NPRL3 spans about 55 kb or approximately half of the DNA proximal to the telomere and subtelomeric region. The gene consists of 15 exons and the cDNA encodes a predicted 544- or 569-amino acid protein, depending on the alternative splicing of exon 5. Two mRNAs of 3.2 and 2.5 kb were detected in a variety of cell lines .

Curiously, a previously identified erythroid-specific regulatory element occurs within intron 5. This regulatory sequence does not influence expression of the gene, which has a GC-rich promoter (unlike the TATA-type promoters of the alpha globin loci). The authors showed that the sequence of the gene and its location adjacent to alpha globin loci has been conserved for at least 270 million years.