DROSOPHILA DPP2C1, A NOVEL MEMBER OF THE PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE 2C (PP2C) FAMILY

We report the molecular cloning, chromosome mapping and developmental transcription pattern of a putative serine/threonine protein phosphata se 2C (PP2C), DPP2Cl, from Drosophila melanogaster. The 6-kb transcrip t of this first Drosophila PP2C gene encodes a 1428-aa deduced protein . The DPP2Cl protein contains a approximate to 330-aa PP2C-like cataly tic domain flanked by extensive N- and C-terminal sequences showing no similarities to other PP2Cs. The dpp2cl gene maps to 4E1-2 on the X c hromosome, 1.5 kb upstream of the ddlcl gene. Northern blot analyses s howed that dpp2cl transcription is developmentally regulated, accumula ting maximally during early (0-6 h) and late (12-24 h) embryogensis. T he presented molecular characterisation provides the basis for a genet ic dissection of DPP2Cl function. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.