The rough deal protein is a new kinetochore component required for accurate chromosome segregation in Drosophila

Mutations in the rough deal (rod) gene of Drosophila greatly increase the missegregation of sister chromatids during mitosis, suggesting a role for this gene product in spindle or kinetochore function. The activity provided by rod also appears to be necessary for the recruitment of two known kinetochore components, Zw10 and cytoplasmic dynein. In this paper we describe the cloning of rough deal and an initial cytological characterization of its product. The Rod protein shares no identifiable structural motif with other known proteins, although apparent homologs exist in the genomes of nematode and man. By immunocytochemistry we show that Rod displays a dynamic intracellular staining pattern, localizing first to kinetochores in prometaphase, but moving to kinetochore microtubules at metaphase. Early in anaphase the protein is once again restricted to the kinetochores, where it persists until the end of telophase. This behavior is in all respects similar to that described for Zw10, and suggests that the proteins function together.

Cloning, characterization, and chromosome assignment of Zfp146 the mouse ortholog of human ZNF146, a gene amplified and overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, and Zfp260 a closely related gene

The human OZF gene (ZNF146), located in chromosome band 19q13.1, is amplified and overexpressed in pancreatic carcinomas. It encodes a protein consisting solely of ten Krüppel zinc finger motifs. We report here the isolation and the characterization of the murine OZF cDNA (Zfp146). Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences between murine, human and bovine cDNAs revealed a strong identity (95%). A closely related gene, Zfp260, was also isolated and characterized. It encodes a putative protein consisting of three vestigial zinc finger motifs followed by ten Krüppel zinc fingers sharing 79% identity and no gap insertion with the Zfp146 zinc fingers. In vitro transcription/translation of both genes led to synthesis of proteins of the predicted size. Co-expression was observed at the mRNA level in eight adult mouse tissues. Two-color FISH revealed co-localization of both genes on mouse chromosome 7 (band B1-B3). The co-expression and co-localization of Zfp146 and Zfp260 together with the close similarity of their zinc finger domains, suggests that both participate in the same regulatory pathway.