Melanoma Antigen Family A1 (MAGEA1)

MAGEA1 is a member of the MAGEA gene family. The members of this family encode proteins with 50 to 80% sequence identity to each other. The promoters and first exons of the MAGEA genes show considerable variability, suggesting that the existence of this gene family enables the same function to be expressed under different transcriptional controls. The MAGEA genes are clustered at chromosomal location Xq28. They have been implicated in some hereditary disorders, such as dyskeratosis congenita.

The gene showed no similarity to known sequences. It was expressed by the original melanoma cells, by other melanoma cell lines, and by some tumor cells of other histologic types. No expression was observed in a panel of normal tissues.