title: Characterization and in silico mapping of a novel murine zinc finger transcription factor.
abstract: Transcription factors play important roles in development and homeostasis. We have completed an embryonic stem cell-based neural differentiation screen, which was carried out with a view to isolating early regulators of neurogenesis. Fifty eight of the expressed sequence tags isolated from this screen represent known transcription factors or sequences containing transcription factor motifs. We have determined the full-length sequence of a novel mouse zinc finger-containing gene (ZFEND; also known as Mus musculus zinc finger protein 358 (Zfp358)) that was identified from this screen. ZFEND has 87% nucleotide and 86% amino acid identity to a previously identified human cDNA, FLJ10390, which is moderately similar to zinc finger protein 135. Northern blotting and RPAs demonstrate highest expression of ZFEND during mid-late mouse embryogenesis. Expression is also observed in several adult tissues with highest expression in heart, brain, and liver. Whole-mount in situ hybridization studies reveal apparent ubiquitous expression of ZFEND during mid-gestation stages (embryonic days 11.5, 12.5), while sections of whole-mount embryos reveal much higher expression levels in the neural folds during neural tube closure and at the boundary between the forelimb buds and the body wall. Bioinformatic analysis maps ZFEND to mouse chromosome 8pter, while FLJ10390 resides on 19p13.3-p13.2, a gene-rich region to which a number of disorders have been mapped. More precise mapping indicates that the involvement of FLJ10390 in atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype, familial febrile convulsions 2, and psoriasis susceptibility cannot be ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wride
authors.forename: Fiona C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Mansergh
authors.forename: Jamila M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Somani
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Winkfein
authors.forename: Derrick E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Rancourt
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D019295:Computational Biology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C462523:Zfp358 protein, mouse; D014212:Tretinoin; D012313:RNA