Characterization and chromosomal mapping of a novel human gene, ANKHZN

Ankhzn (ankyrin repeats hooked to a zinc finger motif) was originally isola ted by means of the gene trap method, as a novel cytoplasmic protein on mou se embryonic stem cells. The Ankhzn protein is ubiquitously expressed in a spatiotemporal-specific manner and is located on endosomes. In the present study, we have cloned human ANKHZN cDNA by PCR using candidate EST clones e xhibiting a high homology to mouse Ankhzn cDNA. The human ANKHZN cDNA encod ed a 1166 aa protein exhibiting 84.9% identity to the mouse one. The size o f the transcript was found to be about 7 kb on a Northern blot analysis, an d ANKHZN mRNA was found to be ubiquitously expressed in human tissues on RT -PCR analysis. Western blot analysis showed that a 130 kDa protein was dete cted at various levels in human tissues and also present in both membrane a nd soluble fractions obtained on subcellular fractionation. Human ANKHZN is a single copy gene consisting of predicted 25 exons in the human genome, a nd has been mapped to human chromosome 17p13 by radiation hybrid panel and fluorescence in-situ hybridization, (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.