Hemoglobin subunit zeta is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''HBZ''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
Zeta-globin is an alpha-like hemoglobin. The zeta-globin polypeptide is synthesized in the yolk sac of the early embryo, while alpha-globin is produced throughout fetal and adult life. The zeta-globin gene is a member of the human alpha-globin gene cluster that includes five functional genes and two pseudogenes. The order of genes is: 5' - zeta - pseudozeta -
mu - pseudoalpha-1 -
alpha-2 -
alpha-1 -
theta1 - 3'.
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Hemoglobins
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