Human β-globin locus

The human β-globin locus is composed of five genes located on a short region of chromosome 11, responsible for the creation of the beta parts (roughly half) of the oxygen transport protein Haemoglobin. This locus contains not only the beta globin gene but also delta, gamma-A, gamma-G, and epsilon globin. Expression of all of these genes is controlled by single locus control region (LCR), and the genes are differentially expressed throughout development. The human β-globin locus is composed of five genes located on a short region of chromosome 11, responsible for the creation of the beta parts (roughly half) of the oxygen transport protein Haemoglobin. This locus contains not only the beta globin gene but also delta, gamma-A, gamma-G, and epsilon globin. Expression of all of these genes is controlled by single locus control region (LCR), and the genes are differentially expressed throughout development. The order of the genes in the beta-globin cluster is: 5' - epsilon – gamma-G – gamma-A – delta – beta - 3'.