AIM1, a novel non-lens member of the betagamma-crystallin superfamily, is associated with the control of tumorigenicity in human malignant melanoma.
AIM1 is a novel gene whose expression is associated with the experimental reversal of tumorigenicity of human malignant melanoma. The predicted protein product of the major 4.1-kb transcript shows striking similarity to the betagamma-crystallin superfamily. All known members of this superfamily contain two or four characteristic motifs arranged as one or two symmetrical domains. AIM1, in contrast, contains 12 betagamma motifs, suggesting a 6-domain structure resembling a trimer of beta- or gamma-crystallin subunits. The structure of the AIM1 gene shows remarkable similarity to beta-crystallin genes, with homologous introns delineating equivalent protein structural units. AIM1 is the first mammalian member of the betagamma superfamily with a primarily non-lens role. Other parts of the predicted AIM1 protein sequence have weak similarity with filament or actin-binding proteins. AIM1 is a good candidate for the putative suppressor of malignant melanoma on chromosome 6, possibly exerting its effects through interactions with the cytoskeleton.
Ray
M E
ME
Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Wistow
G
G
Su
Y A
YA
Meltzer
P S
PS
Trent
J M
JM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003459:Crystallins / Q000235:genetics*; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
C105445:CRYBG1 protein, human; D003459:Crystallins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins