Stolow D T, Haynes S R
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Nucleic Acids Res. 1995 Mar 11;23(5):835-43. doi: 10.1093/nar/23.5.835.
We have previously described a partial Drosophila cDNA, clone P19, which bears homology to members of the RNA recognition motif (RRM) family of proteins [Haynes et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84, 1819-1823]. RNA binding as well as involvement in RNA processing has been demonstrated for some RRM proteins. We report here the further characterization of P19, which we renamed cabeza (caz). caz is located on the X chromosome at position 14B. Using Northern analysis, at least four transcripts from the caz gene were observed at varying levels during development. caz mRNA and protein are enriched in the brain and central nervous system during embryogenesis. In addition, the protein is enriched in the adult head. UV crosslinking was used to demonstrate in vitro RNA binding activity for full-length recombinant caz protein and for the caz RRM domain. Sequence analysis revealed caz is related to two human genes, EWS and TLS, which are involved in chromosomal translocations. The fusion of EWS and TLS to other cellular genes results in sarcoma formation. In addition to their overall structural organization and sequence similarity, these three genes share an RRM which is divergent from typical RRMs. Therefore, it appears that these genes constitute a new sub-family of RNA binding proteins.
我们之前描述过一个部分果蝇cDNA克隆P19，它与RNA识别基序（RRM）蛋白家族成员具有同源性[海恩斯等人（1987年），《美国国家科学院院刊》，84卷，1819 - 1823页]。一些RRM蛋白已被证明具有RNA结合以及参与RNA加工的功能。我们在此报告对P19的进一步特性描述，我们将其重新命名为cabeza（caz）。caz位于X染色体上14B位置。通过Northern分析，在发育过程中观察到来自caz基因的至少四种转录本，其水平各不相同。在胚胎发生过程中，caz mRNA和蛋白在脑和中枢神经系统中富集。此外，该蛋白在成虫头部也有富集。利用紫外线交联法证明了全长重组caz蛋白和caz RRM结构域具有体外RNA结合活性。序列分析表明caz与两个人类基因EWS和TLS相关，这两个基因参与染色体易位。EWS和TLS与其他细胞基因的融合会导致肉瘤形成。除了它们的整体结构组织和序列相似性外，这三个基因还共享一个与典型RRM不同的RRM。因此，这些基因似乎构成了一个新的RNA结合蛋白亚家族。
