title: Functional analysis of ZNF85 KRAB zinc finger protein, a member of the highly homologous ZNF91 family.
abstract: We previously identified the ZNF85 (HPF4) KRAB zinc finger gene, a member of the human ZNF91 family. Here, we show that the ZNF85 gene is highly expressed in normal adult testis, in seminomas, and in the NT2/D1 teratocarcinoma cell line. Immunocytochemical localization of a panel of beta-Gal/ZNF85 fusion proteins revealed that ZNF85 contains at least one nuclear localization signal located in the spacer region connecting the KRAB domain with the zinc finger repeats. Bacterially expressed ZNF85 zinc finger domain bound strongly and exclusively to DNA in vitro in a zinc-dependent manner. The KRAB(A) domain of the ZNF85 protein and of several other members of the ZNF91 family exhibited repressing activity when tested in Gal4 fusion protein assays. The repression was significantly enhanced by the addition of the KRAB (B) domain, whereas further addition of other conserved regions had no effect. The ZNF85 KRAB(A) and (B) domains in vitro bound several nuclear proteins that might constitute critical cofactors for repression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et de Génie Génétique, Université de Liège, Institut de Chimie B6, Belgium.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Poncelet
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bellefroid
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Bastiaens
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Demoitié
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Marine
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pendeville
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alami
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lecocq
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martial
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019556:COS Cells; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C115768:ZNF85 protein, human; C096797:ZNF91 protein, human; D004247:DNA; D015032:Zinc