A DEDUCED PRODUCT FROM THE DROSOPHILA NEU RAL CONSERVED GENE NC70F SHOWS HOMOLOGY TO MOUSE DELTA-TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR

A cDNA copy of the Nc70F gene which is specifically expressed in Droso phila neural tissue was cloned and characterized. The gene has an open reading frame for the protein of 384 amino acids. The protein contain s dimerizarion, DNA binding, activation and repression domains which a re common for the eucaryotic transcription factors. However, the domai n organization of the Nc70F protein has some peculiarities. The primar y structure of the Nc70F product and other transcription factors were compared. High level of homology of Nc70F protein with the mouse delta transcription factor was found. The insitu hybridization on tissue se ction showed that the Nc70F gene expression is restricted to the centr al nerve system at all stages of Drosophila ontogenesis. By using Dros ophila genomic and cDNA clones of Nc70F genes as probes, homologous tr anscripts were identified in the human poly(A)+RNA. The evolutionary c onservative portion of this gene was localized in the 5-exones.