The sex-determining region of the mouse Y chromosome encodes a protein with a highly acidic domain and 13 zinc fingers.
The ZFY gene, located in the sex-determining region of the human Y chromosome, appears to encode a zinc-finger protein. Two homologous genes, Zfy-1 and Zfy-2, are found in the sex-determining region of the mouse Y chromosome. One or both genes may serve as the primary sex-determining signal in mice. Both Zfy-1 and Zfy-2 are transcribed in the adult testis. Nucleotide sequence analysis of a Zfy-2 cDNA suggests that it encodes a 783 amino acid protein with two domains: the amino-terminal portion is highly acidic, with 25% of its residues being glutamic or aspartic acid, while the carboxy-terminal domain contains 13 zinc fingers. The presence in Zfy-2 of an acidic domain in combination with a putative nucleic acid binding domain suggests that Zfy-2 activates transcription in a sequence-specific fashion.
Mardon
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Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142.
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D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D008297:Male; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014998:Y Chromosome
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008667:Metalloproteins; D014157:Transcription Factors