A novel family of bromodomain genes

The bromodomain is a structural motif characteristic of proteins involved i n chromatin-dependent regulation of transcription, Bromodomain proteins hav e been identified as integral components of chromatin remodeling complexes and frequently possess histone acetyltransferase activity. Their encoding g enes have been identified at translocation breakpoints, and at least one, C BP, is a tumor suppressor gene, We have identified a series of novel bromod omain genes by EST database and cDNA library screening. Comparison of seque nces for four clones indicated that they represent genes belonging to a nov el bromodomain family. Full-length sequences for these genes, which are wid ely expressed, predict encoded proteins of between 1527 and 1972 amino acid s, In addition to a carboxy-terminal bromodomain, an adjacent PHD finger, a nd a WACZ motif, at least four other conserved novel motifs are present in each protein, The genes contain regions conserved with Drosophila Acf1 and Caenorhabditis elegans 2K783.4. The novel genes, termed BAZ1A, BAZ1B, BAZ2A , and BAZ2B, localize to chromosomes 14q12-q13, 7q11-q21, 12q24.3-qter, and 2q23-q24, respectively. Conservation of multiple domains throughout these genes with Acf1 indicates that they are likely to be components of chromati n remodeling complexes. (C) 2000 Academic Press.