A novel subfamily of zinc finger genes involved in embryonic development
UMass Chan Affiliations
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular PharmacologyGraduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Document Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2004-09-28Keywords
Animals; Embryo, Mammalian; *Embryo, Nonmammalian; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; *Morphogenesis; Multigene Family; Nuclear Proteins; Phylogeny; Transcription Factors; Zinc FingersLife Sciences
Medicine and Health Sciences
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
C2H2 zinc finger proteins make up one of the largest protein families in eukaryotic organisms. Recent study in several different systems has identified a set of novel zinc finger proteins that appear to form a distinct subfamily that we have named the NET family. Members of the NET family (Noc, Nlz, Elbow, and Tlp-1) share two protein motifs--a buttonhead box and an Sp motif--with zinc finger proteins from the Sp family. However, the NET family is uniquely characterized by a single atypical C2H2 zinc finger, in contrast to the Sp family that contains three tandem C2H2 fingers. Here, we review current information about the biochemical function and in vivo role for members of this subfamily. In general, NET family proteins are required during embryonic development. They appear to act by regulating transcription, most likely as repressors, although they are unlikely to bind DNA directly. In the future, it will be important to directly test if NET family proteins control transcription of specific target genes, perhaps via interactions with DNA-binding transcription factors, as well as to further explore their function in vivo.Source
J Cell Biochem. 2004 Nov 15;93(5):887-95. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1002/jcb.20255Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/34240PubMed ID
15449319Related Resources
Link to article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1002/jcb.20255