An enhancer trap line identifies the Drosophila homolog of the L37a ribosomal protein

A gene identified from an enhancer trap screen is shown to encode the Drosophila melanogaster homolog of the L37a ribosomal protein. The predicted 92 amino-acid sequence of this protein is 78% identical to mammalian L37a proteins, and contains a conserved Cys-X2 Cys-X14-Cys-X2-Cys zinc finger motif that may be involved in interactions with ribosomal RNA. The Drosophila L37a homolog is a single copy gene comprised of four exons and is ubiquitously expressed throughout the animal. Cytological localization reveals that Drosophila L37a maps to position 25C1-3, very near the previously described Minute mutation M(2)25C.