Chromosomal location of murine protein tyrosine phosphatase (Ptprj and Ptpre) genes.

It is now widely accepted that protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) play important or even critical roles in cell growth, differentiation, and development. Our recent experiments suggested that specific PTPases, PTP beta 2 and PTP epsilon, are involved in the early molecular events for in vitro differentiation of mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) as well as embryonic carcinoma (F9) cells. Using mouse cDNA for PTP beta 2 and PTP epsilon, which we have cloned recently, we attempted to locate the genes to mouse chromosomes. Interspecific backcross analysis indicated that the gene for PTP beta 2, Ptprj, is located in the middle region of chromosome 2, and the gene for PTP epsilon, Ptpre, was mapped in the vicinity of the imprinted regions in the distal part of chromosome 7. Possible biological roles of these PTPases are discussed.