Zfp-37 is a member of the KRAB zinc finger gene family and is expressed in neurons of the developing and adult CNS
- Erasmus Univ., Rotterdam (Netherlands)
The murine Zfp-37 gene encodes a protein with 12 zinc fingers at its C-terminus. Contrary to the published data, our Northern blot analysis demonstrates not only that the Zfp-37 gene is expressed as 2.3, 2.6, and 4.2 kb mRNAs in testis, but also that there is a 3.7-kb message in the adult mouse brain. Using a partial cDNA as a probe, we have isolated a brain-specific Zfp-37 cDNA clone of 3.3 kb, whose sequence was extended to full length using 5{prime} end RACE. This revealed that the 3.7-kb mRNA is in fact a collection of transcripts with heterogeneous 5{prime} end RACE. This revealed that the 3.7-kb mRNA is in fact a collection of transcripts with heterogeneous 5{prime} ends. Comparison of cDNA and genomic sequences shows that the Zfp-37 gene is spread over a region of {approximately}20 kb and consists of six exons, the large 3{prime} end exon containing the complete zinc finger domain, and 3{prime} UTR. Our data show that the Zfp-37 gene utilizes different promoters, alternative splicing, and differential polyadenylation to generate the distinct transcripts of brain and testis. Several protein isoforms are encoded by these mRNAs, some of which contain a truncated form of a conserved domain (Krueppel-associated box) found in other zinc finger genes. In situ hybridization analysis of postnatal brain sections indicates that the Zfp-37 gene is expressed in all neurons of the central nervous system. Together, these results suggest that ZFP-37 is a transcriptional regulator prodominantly present in postmitotic cells from two different lineages. 43 refs., 5 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 465954
- Journal Information:
- Genomics, Vol. 33, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: 15 Apr 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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