C. Morelli et al., Cloning and characterization of two overlapping genes in a subregion at 6q21 involved in replicative senescence and schizophrenia, GENE, 252(1-2), 2000, pp. 217-225
Two new genes were cloned from region 6q21 and characterized. One gene, C6o
rf4-6, expresses three mRNA isoforms diverging at the 5' and 3' ends, and e
ncodes two protein isoforms that differ by nine amino acids at their amino
terminus. The second gene, C6UAS, is transcribed in the antisense orientati
on from the complementary strand of C6orf4-6. C6UAS overlaps the second exo
n of C6orf4, where the start codon of protein isoform 1 is located. C6UAS h
as no apparent ORF and most likely represents a structural RNA gene that is
transcribed but not translated. This feature and the antisense polarity of
transcription suggest that C6UAS could play a regulatory role on the expre
ssion of C6orf4, as indicated by a significant decrease of endogenous C6orf
4 expression after transfection of C6UAS cDNA in human fibroblasts. Neither
C6UAS nor C6orf4-6 genes show any homology with known human genes. The two
genes were cloned from a subregion at 6q21 containing a replicative senesc
ence gene, a tumor suppressor gene and a gene involved in hereditary schizo
phrenia. In addition, the common fragile site FRA6F was mapped in the same
region. Cloning and characterization of C6orf4-6 and C6UAS may help to clar
ify the structure and the functional role of this important region. (C) 200
0 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.