title: Cloning and functional characterization of a new Ski homolog, Fussel-18, specifically expressed in neuronal tissues.
abstract: The Sloan Kettering Virus (Ski) family of nuclear oncoproteins represses transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling through inhibition of transcriptional activity of Smad proteins. Here, we report the discovery of a new functional Smad suppressing element on chromosome 18 (Fussel-18). Fussel-18 encodes for a protein of 297 amino acids sharing characteristic structural features, significant homology and similar genomic organization with the homolog Ski family members, Ski and Ski-related novel sequence (Sno). In contrast to Ski and Sno, which are ubiquitously expressed in human tissues, in situ hybridization, RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry revealed a highly specific expression pattern for Fussel-18 in neuronal tissues, especially in the cerebellum, the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia, during both embryogenesis and adult stage. Functionally, we determined interaction of Fussel-18 with Smad 2 and Smad 3 together with an inhibitory activity on TGF-beta signaling. Fussel-18 is the first example of a Smad-binding protein with a highly restricted expression pattern within the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: University of Regensburg Medical School, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arndt
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Poser
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Anja-Katrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bosserhoff
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D047108:Embryonic Development; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C060615:SKIL protein, human; C506647:SKOR2 protein, human; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta