Virtual cloning and physical mapping of a human T-box gene, TBX4

The Tbx2/3/4/5 subfamily is one of the largest sub groupings within the T-b ox gene family, the members of which encode developmentally critical transc ription factors. TBX4, a human member of the Tbx2/3/4/5 subfamily, has been identified and characterized from a high-throughput genomic sequence. The genomic organization of TBX4 was elucidated by computational sequence analy sis, and the putative cDNA sequence was assembled. The genomic organization of TBX4 is very similar to that of TBX5, as is the situation for TBX2 and TBX3. The physical configuration of the TBX4-TBX2 cluster on human chromoso me 17q21-q22 is similar to that of the TBX5 TBX3 cluster on chromosome 12q2 3-q24. The assembled TBX4 cDNA sequence was searched against the EST databa ses, and a TBX4 EST was identified. (C) 2000 Academic Press.