Y. Koshizuka et al., Isolation, characterization, and mapping of the mouse and human WDR8 genes, members of a novel WD-repeat gene family, GENOMICS, 72(3), 2001, pp. 252-259
The Trp-Asp (WD) motif has been shown to exist in a number of proteins. Gen
es containing repeats of the WD motif compose a large gene family associate
d with a variety of cellular functions and can be divided into a number of
functional subfamilies. By means of the differential display method using t
tw, a mouse model for the early stage of ectopic ossification, we have iden
tified a novel mouse gene, Wdr8 (WD repeat domain 8), which contains two WD
repeats, together with its human orthologue. The human and mouse WDR8 gene
s encode 460 and 462 amino acids, respectively, with 89% identity, and are
expressed in almost all tissues, including bone and cartilage, and in bone-
forming cells, including osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Wdr8 expression in c
artilage was differentially displayed by stimuli for ectopic ossification i
n ttw and was observed strongly only at a transition period from hypertroph
ic to mineralizing stages in ATDC5, a chondrogenic cell line that exhibits
endochondral ossification, suggesting a potential role for Wdr8 in the proc
ess of ossification. The WDR8 protein is highly conserved among a variety o
f species, but is distinctly different from other WD-repeat proteins, indic
ating that it represents a novel subfamily of the WD-repeat gene family. (C
) 2001 Academic Press.