Isolation of cDNA clones for 42 different Krüppel-related zinc finger proteins expressed in the human monoblast cell line U-937.
To study the complexity and structural characteristics of zinc finger proteins expressed during human hematopoiesis and to isolate novel regulators of blood cell development, a degenerate oligonucleotide probe specific for a consensus zinc finger peptide domain was used to isolate 63 cDNA clones for Krüppel-related zinc finger genes from the human monoblast cell line U-937. By extensive nucleotide sequence and Northern blot analysis, these cDNA clones were found to originate from approximately 42 different genes (HZF 1-42) of which only 8 have previously been described. Northern blot analysis showed that a majority of these genes were expressed at comparable levels in U-937 and HeLa cells. The large number of individual genes represented among the 63 clones and their apparent non-cell-type-specific expression suggest that the majority of the Krüppel-related zinc finger genes are likely to be expressed in most human tissues. In contrast, some of the genes displayed a restricted expression pattern, indicating that they represent potential regulators of monocyte differentiation or proliferation. Detailed structural analysis of the first 12 cDNAs (HZF 1-10) and a partial characterization of HZF 11-42 revealed that a common feature of human Krüppel-related zinc finger proteins is the presence of tandem arrays of zinc fingers ranging in number from 3 to over 20 that are preferentially located in the carboxy-terminal regions of the proteins. In addition, several novel KRAB-containing zinc finger genes and a novel conserved sequence element were identified.
Abrink
M
M
Department of Immunology, University of Uppsala, The Biomedical Centre, Sweden.
Aveskogh
M
M
Hellman
L
L
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors