LOCALIZATION OF THE VHR PHOSPHATASE CANE AND ITS ANALYSIS AS A CANDIDATE FOR BRCA1

The VH1-related human protein (VHR) gene was localized to human chromo some 17q21 in a region thought to contain the BRCA1 locus, a locus tha t confers susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer. VHR encodes a p hosphatase with dual specificity for tyrosine and serine residues. Thu s it is a plausible candidate for a tumor suppressor gene such as BRCA 1. To test this possibility, the VHR coding sequence was screened in i ndividuals with familial breast cancer and in sporadic breast tumor an d breast cancer cell lines. No mutations were detected, suggesting tha t the VHR gene is not BRCA1. (C) 1994 Academic Press,Inc.