Two human genes encoding zinc finger proteins,ZNF12 (KOX 3) and ZNF 26 (KOX 20), map to chromosomes 7p22-p21 and 12q24.33, respectively

Summary Two members of the human zinc finger Krüppel family, ZNF 12 (KOX 3) and ZNF 26 (KOX 20), have been localized by somatic cell hybrid analysis and in situ chromosomal hybridization. The presence of individual human zinc finger genes in mouse-human hybrid DNAs was correlated with the presence of specific human chromosomes or regions of chromosomes in the corresponding cell hybrids. Analysis of such mouse-human hybrid DNAs allowed the assignment of the ZNF 12 (KOX 3) gene to chromosome region 7p. The ZNF 26 (KOX 20) gene segregated with chromosome region 12q13-qter. The zinc finger genes ZNF 12 (KOX 3) and ZNF 26 (KOX 20) were localized by in situ chromosomal hybridization to human chromosome regions 7p22-21 and 12q24.33, respectively. These genes and the previously mapped ZNF 24 (KOX 17) and ZNF 29 (KOX 26) genes, are found near fragile sites.     

Human zinc finger gene ZNF23 (Kox16) maps to a zinc finger gene cluster on chromosome 16q22, and ZNF32 (Kox30) to chromosome region 10q23-–q24

Two members of the KOX gene family, ZNF23 (KOX16) and ZNF32 (KOX30), have been mapped by in situ hybridization to chromosome regions 16q22 and 10q23-q24, respectively. The map location of ZNF23 and ZNF32 placed these zinc finger protein genes near to chromosome loci that, under certain in vitro conditions, are expressed as fragile sites (FRA16B, FRA16C) and (FRA10D, FRA10A, FRA10B and FRA10E). Human zinc finger gene ZNF32 maps to a chromosome region on 10q23-24 in which deletions have been observed associated with malignant lymphoma on 10q22-23 and with carcinoma of the prostate on 10q24. ZNF23 is located on 16q22 in a chromosomal region that has been involved in chromosome alterations characteristic of acute myeloid leukemia. A second Kox zinc finger gene (ZNF19/KOX12) was recently mapped to the same chromosome region on human chromosome 16q22. In the analogous murine position, the murine zinc finger genes Zfp-1 and Zfp-4 are found in the syntenic 16q region of mouse chromosome 8. Thus, ZNF19 and ZNF23 might be members of an evolutionarily conserved zinc finger gene cluster located on human chromosome 16q22.     

Chromosomal localization of two human zinc finger protein genes, ZNF24 (KOX17) and ZNF29 (KOX26), to 18q12 and 17p13-p12, respectively

Two members of the zinc finger Krüppel family, ZNF24 (KOX17) and ZNF29 (KOX26), have been localized by somatic cell hybrid analysis and in situ chromosomal hybridization to human chromosomes 18q12 and 17p13-p12, respectively. The mapping of ZNF29 together with the previously reported localization of ZFP3 suggests that a zinc finger gene complex is located on human chromosome 17p. ZNF29 maps centromeric to the human p53 tumor antigen gene (TP53). In the analogous murine position, the two mouse zinc finger genes Zfp2 and Zfp3 have recently been assigned to the distal region of mouse chromosome 11, the murine homolog of human chromosome 17. Both human zinc finger genes ZNF24 and ZNF29 are in chromosomal regions that have been noted to be deleted in neoplasms of the lung and of the central nervous system at chromosome 17p and in colorectal neoplasia at chromosomes 17p and 18q.     

Chromosomal localization of 9 KOX zinc finger genes: physical linkages suggest clustering of KOX genes on chromosomes 12, 16, and 19

Nine KOX zinc finger genes were localized on four human chromosomes by in situ hybridization of cDNA probes to metaphase chromosomes. KOX1 (ZNF10), KOX11 (ZNF18), and KOX12 (ZNF19) were mapped to chromosome bands 12q24.33, 17p13-p12, and 16q22-q23, respectively. Six other KOX genes were localized on chromosome 19: KOX6 (ZNF14) and KOX13 (ZNF20) to 19p13.3-p13.2, KOX5 (ZNF13) and KOX22 (ZNF27) to 19q13.2-qter, and KOX24 (ZNF28) and KOX28 (ZNF30) to 19q13.4. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis experiments showed that the pairs of KOX genes found on the chromosome bands 12q24.33, 16q22-q23, 19p13.3-p13.2, or 19q13.3-qter lie within 200–300 kb DNA fragments. This suggests the existence of KOX gene clusters on these chromosomal bands.     

Cloning and mapping of members of the MYM family.

Tandem repeats of a novel, putative, zinc-binding motif (MYM) have been described within the products of two, highly homologous genes: ZNF198/RAMP/FIM and ZNF261/DXS6673E. ZNF198, mapping to 13q11-q12, was recently shown to fuse to the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 gene in the t(8;13)(p11;q11-q12) rearrangement associated with a stem cell leukemia/lymphoma syndrome. ZNF261 at Xq13.1 is disrupted by a t(X;13)(q13.1;q32) rearrangement in a mentally retarded patient and is a candidate gene for nonspecific X-linked mental retardation. Here we have cloned another member of this family, designated ZNF258, and mapped it to chromosome band 14q12. In addition, ZNF262/KIAA0425 was identified as a further member of the family and mapped to 1p32-p34. The predicted protein products of ZNF258 and ZNF262 maintain the repeats of the MYM motif. Isolation of these new members will facilitate the functional characterization of the MYM family and motif.     

Sustained expression of the novel EBV-induced zinc finger gene, ZNFEB, is critical for the transition of B lymphocyte activation to oncogenic growth transformation.

EBV is a human tumor virus that infects and establishes latency in the majority of humans worldwide. In vitro, EBV growth transforms primary B lymphocytes into lymphoblastoid cell lines with high efficiency. We have used cDNA subtraction cloning to identify cellular target genes required for growth transformation and identified a new C(2)H(2) (Krüppel-type) zinc finger gene, ZNF(EB), that is trans-activated early following EBV infection. In this study, we characterize ZNF(EB), including its intronless locus, and human and mouse protein variants. The gene is transiently expressed during normal lymphocyte activation, and its expression is sustained in EBV-positive but not EBV-negative B cell lines. There is limited expression in nonhemopoietic tissues. Its critical role in the growth transformation of B lineage cells is indicated by the abrogation of transformation with antisense strategies. ZNF(EB) maps to chromosome 18q12, a region with mutations in numerous, predominantly hemopoietic malignancies.     

Duplicated KOX zinc finger gene clusters flank the centromere of human chromosome 10: evidence for a pericentric inversion during primate evolution.

Two related zinc finger (ZNF) gene clusters from the pericentromeric region of human chromosome 10, defined by cDNAs of the KOX series, have been cloned in yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs). The two clusters evolved by duplication of an ancestral gene cluster before the divergence of the human and great ape lineages. Included in cluster A are the ZNF gene sequences ZNF11A, ZNF33A, and ZNF37A, while cluster B comprises the related sequences ZNF11B, ZNF33B and ZNF37B. Genes from both clusters are expressed: cDNAs KOX2, KOX31 and KOX21 derive from ZNF11B, ZNF33A and ZNF37A, respectively. Further YACs have been isolated which link ZNF11A and ZNF33A to another gene, ZNF25, defined by cDNA clone KOX19. Therefore ZNF25 also forms part of cluster A, but has no counterpart in cluster B. Surprisingly, the KOX ZNF gene clusters are located on opposite sides of the centromere: cluster A maps to 10p11.2, while cluster B is in 10q11.2. This suggests the occurrence during primate evolution of a previously undescribed pericentric inversion subsequent to the cluster duplication. The evolution of this subset of KOX ZNF genes has therefore involved three types of genetic event: local gene duplication, gene cluster duplication, and chromosome rearrangement.     

The human platelet-derived growth factor alpha chain (PDGFA) gene maps to chromosome 7p22.

The human PDGFA gene has been mapped previously to two different sites on chromosome 7 (7p21----p22 and 7q11.2----q21.1). Using in situ hybridization and human x mouse somatic cell hybrid lines we present data which confirm the localization of PDGFA to the terminal short arm of chromosome 7, at 7p22.     

A cluster of expressed zinc finger protein genes in the pericentromeric region of human chromosome 10.

Three members of the human zinc finger Krüppel family, ZNF11/KOX2, ZNF22/KOX15, and ZNF25/KOX19, have been regionally localized to the pericentromeric region of chromosome 10 by in situ chromosomal hybridization and somatic cell hybrid analysis. ZNF25/KOX19 is located centromeric to a breakpoint in chromosome band 10q11.2 in the chromosome region 10p11.2-q11.2, whereas ZNF22/KOX15 maps distal to it in band 10q11.2. Sequences hybridizing to the KOX2 probe are found at two loci, ZNF11A and ZNF11B, that map proximal and distal to the 10q11.2 breakpoint, respectively. The two ZNF11 loci probably represent two related sequences in 10p11.2-q11.2. This cluster of ZNF/KOX genes is of particular interest since the loci for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A and 2B (MEN2A and MEN2B) syndromes have been assigned to this region by linkage analysis.     

Assignment to chromosome 12q24.33, gene organization and splicing of the human KRAB/FPB containing zinc finger gene ZNF84

FISH analysis was used to assign the human ZNF84 gene to chromosome 12q24.33, a region associated with recurrent breakpoints and allelic loss in several human cancers. In this report we show that the ZNF84 coding region is organized in four exons; two are dedicated to encoding the KRAB/FPB-A and KRAB/FPB-B modules, the remaining exons encode the N-terminal amino acids and C-terminal array of zinc finger units, respectively.     

Chromosomal mapping and genomic organization of an evolutionarily conserved zinc finger gene ZNF277

A novel C2H2 zinc finger gene, ZNF277, has been localized to human chromosome 7q31.1. The gene is encoded by 12 exons in a genomic fragment of >100 kb between the microsatellite markers D7S523 and D7S471, deleted in a number of malignancies. The predicted open reading frame (ORF) of 438 amino acids shows an overall homology of 50% to the putative ORF F46B6.7 of Caenorhabditis elegans. The presence of a 30-amino-acid coiled-coil domain in both the C. elegans ORF F46B6.7 and ZNF277 is suggestive of functional similarities. ESTs for the murine orthologue ZFP277 are found in early embryonic stem cells, 16-cell stage embryo, and blastocysts. The evolutionary conservation and the expression profile suggest ZNF277 to be a critical regulator of development and differentiation.