title: Characterization of human NLZ1/ZNF703 identifies conserved domains essential for proper subcellular localization and transcriptional repression.
abstract: NET family members have recently emerged as important players in the development of multiple structures, from the trachea of fly larvae to the vertebrate eye and human breast cancers. However, their mechanisms of action are still poorly understood, and we lack a detailed characterization of their functional domains, as well as gene expression patterns-particularly in adult mammals. Here, we present a characterization of human NLZ1/ZNF703 (NocA-like zinc finger 1/Zinc finger 703), one of the two human NET family member genes. We show that the gene is ubiquitously expressed in adult human and mouse tissues, that three mRNA species with the same coding sequence are generated by alternative polyadenylation, and that the encoded protein contains six evolutionarily conserved domains, three of which are specific to NET proteins. Finally, we present functional evidence that these domains are necessary for proper subcellular distribution of and transcription repression by the NLZ1 protein, but not for its interaction with Groucho family co-repressors.
authors.affiliation: IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pereira-Castro
authors.forename: Angela M Sousa
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Ana Sofia
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Luís Teixeira
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: da Costa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D026723:Polyadenylation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021381:Protein Transport; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C541016:ZNF703 protein, human; C557412:Zeppo1 protein, mouse