IDENTIFICATION OF A HUMAN 17P-LOCATED CDNA-ENCODING A PROTEIN OF THE SNF2-LIKE HELICASE FAMILY

Following immunoscreening, we have cloned and sequenced a human cDNA e ncoding a novel member of the expanding helicase family. The deduced p rotein, designated hZFH (human zinc-finger helicase), contains the sev en domains conserved among the helicase superfamily II and four potent ial zinc-fingers motifs. In particular, hZFH shows significant similar ity to some proteins of the Snf2-like family, known to act as transcri ptional regulators for multiples genes. Furthermore, hZFH has 68.5% id entity to a human Mi-2 autoantigen to which autoantibodies are produce d by a subgroup of patients affected by dermatomyositis. Northern-blot analyses have revealed several hZFH mRNAs with quantitative differenc es in various human tissues. One alternative splice site of hZFH mRNA was demonstrated and others were predicted. We also report the chromos omal localization of gene hZFH to locus 17p13-17p12 by in situ hybridi zation. Thus, this novel gene appears as a candidate for several malig nant and genetic diseases associated with this region of the genome. T he combination of these features suggests that hZFH plays an important role in gene regulation.