Myelin transcription factor 1 (Myt1) of the oligodendrocyte lineage, along with a closely related CCHC zinc finger, is expressed in developing neurons in the mammalian central nervous system.
The establishment and operation of the nervous system requires genetic regulation by a network of DNA-binding proteins, among which is the zinc finger superfamily of transcription factors. We have cloned and characterized a member of the unusual Cys-Cys-His-Cys (also referred to as Cys2HisCys, CCHC, or C2HC) class of zinc finger proteins in the developing nervous system. The novel gene, Myt1-like (Myt1l), is highly homologous to the original representative of this class, Myelin transcription factor 1 (Myt1) (Kim and Hudson, 1992). The MYT1 gene maps to human chromosome 20, while MYT1L maps to a region of human chromosome 2. Both zinc finger proteins are found in neurons at early stages of differentiation, with germinal zone cells displaying intense staining for MyT1. Unlike Myt1, Myt1l has not been detected in the glial lineage. Neurons that express Myt1l also express TuJ1, which marks neurons around the period of terminal mitosis. The Myt1l protein resides in distinct domains within the neuronal nucleus, analogous to the discrete pattern previously noted for Myt1 (Armstrong et al.: 14:303-321, 1995). The developmental expression and localization of these two multifingered CCHC proteins suggests that each may play a role in the development of neurons and oligodendroglia in the mammalian central nervous system.
Kim
J G
JG
Laboratory of Developmental Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4160, USA.
Armstrong
R C
RC
v Agoston
D
D
Robinsky
A
A
Wiese
C
C
Nagle
J
J
Hudson
L D
LD
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000502:physiology*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C078341:MYT1 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C490679:PKMYT1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases