Molecular characterization of a nonneuronal human UNC18 homolog.

A cDNA clone encoding a human homolog of the Caenorhabditis elegans unc-18 gene was identified following random sequencing of clones from IL-2-activated human NK cells. This cDNA clone is related to the nonneuronal Munc-18b and so has been called Hunc-18b. The Hunc-18b transcripts were found in most human tissues, with the exception of brain and skeletal muscle, and in cells from all lymphoid lineages. The Hunc-18b gene was localized to human chromosome 19p13.2-p13.3, and the mouse homolog, Munc-18b, was mapped to the proximal region of mouse Chromosome 8.