Isolation, characterization. and mapping of a zinc finger gene, ZFP95, containing both a SCAN box and an alternatively spliced KRAB A domain

A new zinc finger gene of the Kruppel family was identified by screening a human fetal cartilage cDNA library with degenerate oligonucleotides. Sequen ce analysis indicates that ZFP95 contains 12 highly conserved zinc finger m otifs at the C-terminus and a SCAN box as well as a KRAB A domain at the N- terminus of the protein. ZFP95 represents a member of a new subclass of Kru ppel zinc finger proteins containing both a SCAN box and a KRAB domain. Seq uence comparison revealed that ZFP95 is the human ortholog of murine Zfp95, which is differentially expressed during spermatogenesis. We demonstrate t hat ZFP95 is ubiquitously expressed in adult and fetal tissues with the str ongest expression in testis. Two transcripts, 4.2 and 4.6 kb, were detected in all tissues tested. In testis, a third transcript of 3.8 kb was present . RT-PCR analysis confirmed alternative splicing for the KRAB A domain and an upstream exon leading to three transcripts of ZFP95 with and without thi s transcriptional repressor domain. Finally, we show that ZFP95 maps on hum an chromosome 7q22 between the markers D7S651 and WI-5853. (C) 1999 Academi c Press.