In this report the identification, structure, and chromosomal localiza
tion of the human neurogranin gene (NRGN) are described. NRGN is the h
uman homolog of the rat Ng/RC3 gene, which encodes a brain-specific pr
otein expressed in telencephalic neurons. The human NRGN gene spans ap
proximately 12 kb and contains four exons and three introns. All splic
e acceptor and donor sites conform to the canonical AG/GT rule. Human
neurogranin sequence predicts a 78-amino-acid protein with 5 amino aci
ds encoded by exon 1 and the remaining 73 amino acids encoded by exon
2. The third and fourth exons contain untranslated sequences. The over
all degree of homology between the human and the rat coding sequences
is 90% for the nucleic acid sequence, with 96% identity and 97.5% simi
larity at the protein level. The NRGN gene is expressed exclusively in
brain as a single 1.3-kb mature mRNA. The promoter lacks both TATA an
d CAAT boxes, but shows a consensus sequence for an initiator element
located 234 bases upstream from the AUG initiation codon. The 5'-flank
ing region contains multiple putative binding sites for transcription
factors such as Spl, GCF, AP2, and PEA3. Analysis of a panel of radiat
ion hybrids has led to localization of the NRGN gene in YAC 763A2 (CEP
H), previously mapped at 11q24. This locus is contained in a region of
conserved synteny with mouse chromosome 9. (C) 1997 Academic Press.