Elsevier

Genomics

Volume 48, Issue 3, 15 March 1998, Pages 381-383
Genomics

Short Communication
The Identification and Localization of a Human Gene with Sequence Similarity toPolycomblikeofDrosophila melanogaster

https://doi.org/10.1006/geno.1997.5201Get rights and content

Abstract

TheDrosophilaPolycomb group (PcG) of genes is required for the epigenetic regulation of a number of important developmental genes, including the homeotic (Hox) genes. The members of this gene family encode proteins that do not share sequence similarity, implying that each plays a unique role in this epigenetic repression mechanism.Polycomblike(Pcl) was the second PcG gene to be identified. We report here the isolation and characterization of a human cDNA, termedPHF1,which encodes a protein with significant sequence similarity toDrosophilaPolycomblike (PCL). The region of similarity between PHF1 and PCL includes the two PHD fingers (C4–H–C3motif), the region between them, and sequences C-terminal to the PHD fingers. PHF1 and PCL are 34% identical over this 258-residue region.PHF1was mapped to 6p21.3 by fluorescencein situhybridization. While several genetic diseases that are likely to result from developmental abnormalities map to this region,PHF1is not a clear candidate gene for any of them.

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    • Hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1) recruits polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to a subset of its target genes through interaction with human polycomb-like (hPCL) proteins

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      These three genes are differentially expressed suggesting that their expression pattern could provide other potential regulatory mechanisms to PcG target genes. Indeed, PHF1 and hPCL3 are widely expressed in different normal tissues with some examples of co-expression (7, 8). hPCL3 is also up-regulated in many cancers (9).

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    1

    Current address: Department of Zoology, Box 351800, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1800.

    2

    To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Genetics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. Telephone: (61-8) 8303-5563. Fax: (61-8) 8303-4399. E-mail:[email protected].

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