The evolutionarily conserved Krüppel-associated box domain defines a subfamily of eukaryotic multifingered proteins.
We have previously shown that the human genome includes hundreds of genes coding for putative factors related to the Krüppel zinc-finger protein, which regulates Drosophila segmentation. We report herein that about one-third of these genes code for proteins that share a very conserved region of about 75 amino acids in their N-terminal nonfinger portion. Homologous regions are found in a number of previously described finger proteins, including mouse Zfp-1 and Xenopus Xfin. We named this region the Krüppel-associated box (KRAB). This domain has the potential to form two amphipathic alpha-helices. Southern blot analysis of "zoo" blots suggests that the Krüppel-associated box is highly conserved during evolution. Northern blot analysis shows that these genes are expressed in most adult tissues and are down-regulated during in vitro terminal differentiation of human myeloid cells.
Bellefroid
E J
EJ
Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et de Génie Génétique, Université de Liège, Sart Tilman, Belgium.
Poncelet
D A
DA
Lecocq
P J
PJ
Revelant
O
O
Martial
J A
JA
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D007605:Juvenile Hormones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007605:Juvenile Hormones; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA