RNGB - A DICTYOSTELIUM RING FINGER PROTEIN THAT IS SPECIFICALLY LOCATED IN MATURING SPORE CELLS

The RING finger is a form of zinc finger motif found in proteins of wi dely varying biological function, The Dictyostelium RNGB protein conta ins a RING finger and also a K-box, a sequence motif found in several plant homeotic proteins, The rngB mRNA is present at low concentration in growing cells and gradually increases in abundance throughout deve lopment, However, the RNGB protein is not detected until culmination a nd we present evidence that suggests it is translationally regulated, The protein is specifically localised in maturing spore cells and is c ytoplasmic, suggesting that the RING finger does not function as a DNA binding domain.