title: Characterization of the MLL partner gene AF15q14 involved in t(11;15)(q23;q14).
abstract: Translocations interrupting the mixed lineage leukemia gene (MLL) occur in 7-10% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 5-6% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases. One of these translocations, t(11;15)(q23;q14), occurs rarely in both ALL and AML. The gene on chromosome 15, AF15q14, was cloned recently in a patient with AML-M4. We have identified the same gene in a de novo T-ALL patient. However, both the MLL and AF15q14 breakpoints in these patients differed: in the previously reported AML-M4, both gene breaks were within exons, while in our ALL case the MLL break is intronic and the AF15q14 break is exonic. The MLL-AF15q14 fusion described previously shares no AF15q14 residues in common with the chimera reported here. The fusion proteins also differ with respect to MLL--the previously described fusion contains 55 extra amino acids as its MLL break is in exon 11, while the chimera we report breaks in intron 9. Contrary to the originally described normal AF15q14 (5925-bp cDNA encoding a 1833-aa protein), we identify a 7542-bp cDNA and a 2342-aa AF15q14 protein. AF15q14 appears identical to an mRNA previously found to be expressed in melanoma rendered nontumorigenic by microcell-mediated introduction of normal chromosome 6, suggesting the gene may function normally to suppress cell growth and/or enhance maturation.
authors.affiliation: Landratsamt Ostallgäu, Abteilung Gesundheitswesen, Marktoberdorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Kuefer
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chinwalla
authors.forename: Nancy J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Zeleznik-Le
authors.forename: Frederick G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Behm
authors.forename: Clayton W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Naeve
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rakestraw
authors.forename: Suraj T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mukatira
authors.forename: Susana C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.forename: Stephan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D019457:Chromosome Breakage; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002884:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002896:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6 / Q000235:genetics; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D015479:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051788:Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C472643:Knl1 protein, human; C472641:MLL-AF15q14 fusion protein, human; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051788:Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein