Elsevier

Genomics

Volume 40, Issue 2, 1 March 1997, Pages 367-370
Genomics

SHORT COMMUNICATION
Isolation, Characterization, and Chromosomal Mapping of the Human Nkx6.1 Gene (NKX6A), a New Pancreatic Islet Homeobox Gene

https://doi.org/10.1006/geno.1996.4568Get rights and content

Abstract

Nkx6.1 (gene symbol NKX6A), a new member of the NK homeobox gene family, was recently identified in rodent pancreatic islet β-cell lines. The pattern of expression suggested that this gene product might be important for control of islet development and/or regulation of insulin biosynthesis. We now report cloning of human NKX6A, characterization of its genomic structure, and its chromosomal localization. The predicted protein of human NKX6A contained 367 amino acids and had 97% identity to the hamster protein. The highly conserved NK decapeptide and homeodomain regions were identical between human and hamster, suggesting functional importance of these domains. The coding region spanned approximately 4.8 kb and was composed of three exons. The gene was localized to four CEPH “B” yeast artificial chromosome clones (914B4, 951G9, 981D6, and 847B3), and a nearby polymorphic marker (D4S1538) on chromosome 4 was identified <1270 kb from the gene. Using fluorescencein situhybridization, we also determined that NKX6A maps to 4q21.2–q22.

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    Because the epitope region for the antibody used is upstream of our CRISPR target region, there was a truncated NKX6.1 signal in the crNKX6.1 cells (Fig. 2E). Because of an amino acid homology with the homeodomain of the NKX factors [36,37], the truncated NKX6.1 lacked the homeodomain, implying that it was not able to bind to DNA, and to regulate gene expression. To analyze its localization, we constructed cells with forced expression of intact NKX6.1-FLAG and truncated NKX6.1-FLAG, and conducted immunostaining with anti-FLAG antibody.

  • The Gtx Homeodomain Transcription Factor Exerts Neuroprotection Using Its Homeodomain

    2004, Journal of Biological Chemistry
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    Comparing human and murine GTX genes, the homology was 88.6% in the nucleotide level and 97.5% in the amino acid level. The hGtx homeodomain exhibited high similarity to that of Nkx6.1 (27), indicating that Nkx6.1 is a close relative of Gtx (Fig. 1). Generally, the hGtx homeodomain also showed a limited homology (30-45%) to most homeodomain sequences (Fig. 1).

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