Identification and characterization of the gene for a novel C-type lectin (CLECSF7) that maps near the natural killer gene complex on human chromosome 12

We report the identification and characterization of a novel C-type lectin gene, named HECL (HGMW-approved symbol CLECSF7), that maps close to the nat ural killer gene complex on human chromosome 12p13, Sequence analysis revea led a complete open reading frame of 549 bp comprising several putative gly cosylation and phosphorylation sites as well as a C-terminal C-type carbohy drate-recognition domain. Homology analysis revealed that HECL exhibits a s ignificant degree of divergence from the natural killer cell receptors that comprise the natural killer gene complex. These natural killer cell recept ors all belong to group V of the C-type lectin superfamily, HECL, however, is most closely related to the sole group II C-type lectins reported to map near this region of the genome, the murine Nkcl and Mpcl genes. Like Nkcl, HECL is expressed in a variety of hematopoietic cell types and has a compl ete Ca2+-binding site 2, Despite the presence of critical amino acids for s ugar binding in Ca2+-binding site 2, HECL does not seem to bind carbohydrat e, Moreover, HECL is the first non-receptor-like C-type lectin to map near the natural killer gene complex. (C) 2000 Academic Press.