LAZ3, A NOVEL ZINC-FINGER ENCODING GENE, IS DISRUPTED BY RECURRING CHROMOSOME-3Q27 TRANSLOCATIONS IN HUMAN LYMPHOMAS

We have shown previously that chromosomal translocations involving chr omosome 3q27 and immunoglobulin gene regions are the third most common specific translocations in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We now repor t the isolation of a gene that is disrupted in two cases by t(3;14) an d t(3;4) translocations. The gene (LAZ3) encodes a 79 kDa protein cont aining six zinc-finger motifs and sharing amino-terminal homology with several transcription factors including the Drosophila tramtrack and Broad-complex genes, both of which are developmental transcription reg ulators. LAZ3 is transcribed as a 3.8 kb message predominantly in norm al adult skeletal muscle and in several NHL carrying 3q27 chromosomal defects. We suggest that it may act as a transcription regulator and p lay an important role in lymphomagenesis.