HUMAN TNF RECEPTOR-ASSOCIATED FACTOR-5 (TRAF5) - CDNA CLONING, EXPRESSION AND ASSIGNMENT OF THE TRAF5 GENE TO CHROMOSOME 1Q32

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are si gnal transducers for members of the TNF receptor superfamily. We previ ously identified murine TRAF5 (mTRAF5) and showed that it specifically interacts with the lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LT-beta R) and activate s the transcription factor NF-kappa B. Here we have cloned the human T RAF5 homologue (hTRAF5) by cross hybridization with mTRAF5 cDNA. hTRAF 5 cDNA is composed of 2894 nucleotides with a 557-amino-acid open read ing frame that exhibits 77.5 and 80% identity to mTRAF5 at the nucleot ide and amino acid levels, respectively. Northern blot analysis reveal ed that hTRAF5 mRNA is expressed in all visceral organs. Western blott ing revealed that hTRAF5 protein was abundantly expressed in the human follicular dentritic cell line, FDC1, and to a much lesser degree in several tumor cell lines. Interspecific backcross mapping revealed tha t Traf5 is located in the distal region of mouse chromosome 1, which s hares a region of homology with human chromosome Iq. Fluorescence in s itu hybridization confirmed regional localization to human chromosome 1q32. (C) 1997 Academic Press.