Cloning and characterization of the genes encoding the ankyrin repeat and SOCS box-containing proteins Asb-1, Asb-2, Asb-3 and Asb-4

Members of the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) family of proteins have been shown to inhibit cytokine signalling via direct interactions with JAK kinases or activated cytokine receptors. In addition to their novel am ino-terminal regions and SH2 domains that mediate these interactions, the S OCS proteins also contain carboxy-terminal regions of homology called the S OCS box. The SOCS box serves to couple SOCS proteins and their binding part ners with the elongin B and C complex, possibly targeting them for degradat ion. Several other families of proteins also contain SOCS boxes but differ from the SOCS proteins in the type of domain or motif they contain upstream of the SOCS box. We report here the cloning, characterization, mapping and expression analysis of four members of the ankyrin repeat and SOCS box-con taining (Asb) protein family. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.