Isolation, cloning, and expression of a new murine zinc finger encoding gene

With the aim of identifying genes involved in cartilage differentiation, we have used a subtractive hybridization strategy with cDNAs from a chondrocy tic cell line (MC615) and mRNAs from a mesenchymal precursor cell line (10T 1/2). We have isolated a cDNA clone representing a novel mouse gene. The pr edicted 368-amino acid protein, designated ZF-12, contains four C2H2-type z inc finger motifs and one region homologous to the LeR domain, a finger-ass ociated structural domain. ZF-12 mRNAs are expressed during embryonic devel opment and in different organs in adult, including rib cartilage. These dat a suggest that ZF-12, might play an important role not only in cartilage di fferentiation, but also in basic cellular processes. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.