Süsens U, Borgmeyer U
Zentrum für Molekulare Neurobiologie, Universität Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany.
Genome Biol. 2000;1(3):RESEARCH0006. doi: 10.1186/gb-2000-1-3-research0006. Epub 2000 Sep 13.
The germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF, also known as retinoid acid receptor-related testis-associated receptor, neuronal cell nuclear receptor or NR6A1) is an orphan receptor in the nuclear receptor superfamily found in mammals, amphibians and fish. The mouse Gcnf gene is expressed in the placenta and the developing nervous system and germ cells, and responds to retinoic acid.
We have defined the intron-exon structure of the mouse Gcnf gene and found that it contains 11 exons. Exons 1-4 encode the 75 amino acid amino-terminal domain and exon 4 also encodes the core DNA-binding domain. The carboxy-terminal extension is encoded by exon 5, exons 6 and 7 encode the hinge region, and exons 7-11 encode the putative ligand-binding domain. Unusually, the two zinc-finger motifs in the DNA-binding domain are encoded by separate exons.
The protein-coding region of GCNF is contained in 11 exons. The genomic structure of this nuclear receptor gene will be useful for further studies.
生殖细胞核因子（GCNF，也称为视黄酸受体相关睾丸关联受体、神经细胞核受体或NR6A1）是核受体超家族中的一种孤儿受体，存在于哺乳动物、两栖动物和鱼类中。小鼠Gcnf基因在胎盘、发育中的神经系统和生殖细胞中表达，并对视黄酸产生反应。
我们确定了小鼠Gcnf基因的内含子-外显子结构，发现它包含11个外显子。外显子1-4编码75个氨基酸的氨基末端结构域，外显子4还编码核心DNA结合结构域。羧基末端延伸由外显子5编码，外显子6和7编码铰链区，外显子7-11编码假定的配体结合结构域。不同寻常的是，DNA结合结构域中的两个锌指基序由不同的外显子编码。
GCNF的蛋白质编码区包含在11个外显子中。该核受体基因的基因组结构将有助于进一步研究。
