Genomic analysis and localization of murine Deltex, a modulator of Notch activity, to mouse chromosome 5 and its human homolog to chromosome 12

Deltex is a component of the Notch signaling network, which mediates cellul ar differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis during development. Murine Deltex was initially isolated as a cDNA transcript that displayed increase d expression in T-cell tumors induced by gamma irradiation. The in vivo fun ction of Deltex is unknown; however, the emerging role of Notch signaling i n T-cell development and lymphomagenesis indirectly supports a role for Del tex in these processes. To investigate the regulation of Deltex expression in both normal and transformed tissue, we have begun analyzing the Deltex g enomic locus. Here, we report the exon-intron organization of Deltex and ma p the locus to the middistal region of mouse chromosome 5, tightly linked t o the Adam1a, Lnk, Tbx5, and Nos1 loci. The human homolog of Deltex has bee n localized to chromosome 12.