Organization and chromosomal localization of the human ECEL1 (XCE) gene encoding a zinc metallopeptidase involved in the nervous control of respiration.
ECEL1 (endothelin-converting enzyme-like 1; previously known as XCE) is a putative zinc metalloprotease that was identified recently on the basis of its strong identity with endothelin-converting enzyme. Although the physiological function of ECEL1 is unknown, inactivation of the corresponding gene in mice points to a critical role of this protein in the nervous control of respiration. In the present study we have characterized the human ECEL1 gene. It was located to region q36-q37 of chromosome 2 and shown to be composed of 18 exons spanning approx. 8 kb. The structure of the ECEL1 gene displays some striking similarities with those of genes of related metallopeptidases, supporting the hypothesis that they are all derived from a common ancestor. A short phylogenetic study describing the relationship between the various members of this gene family is also presented.
Valdenaire
O
O
INSERM U460, UFR X.Bichat, 75018 Paris, France. Olivier.Valdenaire@Actelion.Com
Rohrbacher
E
E
Langeveld
A
A
Schweizer
A
A
Meijers
C
C
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D011544:Pseudogenes; D012119:Respiration / Q000235:genetics*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; C492359:ECEL1 protein, human; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases