title: ZAS: C2H2 zinc finger proteins involved in growth and development.
abstract: A ZAS gene encodes a large protein with two separate C2H2 zinc finger pairs that independently bind to specific DNA sequences, including the kappaB motif. Three paralogous mammalian genes, ZAS1, ZAS2, and ZAS3, and a related Drosophila gene, Schnurri, have been cloned and characterized. The ZAS genes encode transcriptional proteins that activate or repress the transcription of a variety of genes involved in growth, development, and metastasis. In addition, ZAS3 associates with a TNF receptor-associated factor to inhibit NF-kappaB- and JNK/ SAPK-mediated signaling of TNF-alpha. Genetic experiments show that ZAS3 deficiency leads to proliferation of cells and tumor formation in mice. The data suggest that ZAS3 is important in controlling cell growth, apoptosis, and inflammation. The potent vasoactive hormone endothelin and transcription factor AP2 gene families also each consist of three members. The ZAS, endothelin, and transcription factor AP2 genes form several linkage groups. Knowledge of the chromosomal locations of these genes provides valuable clues to the evolution of the vertebrate genome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine and Public Health, Columbus 43210, USA. wu.39@osu.edu
authors.forename: Lai-Chu
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C425103:HIVEP3 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; C094066:shn protein, Drosophila; C077171:HIVEP2 protein, human; D004247:DNA