BSMAP, a novel protein expressed specifically in the brain whose gene is localized on chromosome 19p12

Using the sequence of cosmids derived from chromosome 19p12, we have identi fied a gene encoding a novel protein, BSMAP (brain-specific membrane-anchor ed protein) and cloned cDNA encoding the full-length open reading frame. No rthern blot analysis revealed that BSMAP mRNA is preferentially expressed a t a high level in the brain. BSMAP has a putative transmembrane domain and is predicted to be a type-I membrane glycoprotein. Genomic sequence analysi s revealed that the gene encoding BSMAP consists of eight exons spanning ap proximately 8 kb and lies 6 kb away from the gene encoding CLF-1 in a rever se orientation. Although no candidate genetic disorders were found to map e ither to this precise region of chromosome 19 or to the syntenic region of the mouse genome, the highly specific expression of BSMAP mRNA suggests a r ole for the protein in CNS function. (C) 1999 Academic Press.