Molecular Cloning and Characterization of DEC2, a New Member of Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins

• DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.2000.4133
• Publication Date: 2002-09-16T14:49:19Z
• Authors: Katsumi Fujimoto; Ming Shen; Mitsuhide Noshiro; Kazumi Matsubara; Sohei Shingu; Kiyomasa Honda; Eri Yoshida; Ketut Suardita; Yoichi Matsuda; Yukio Kato
• Keywords: Subfamily; Basic helix-loop-helix; Cloning (programming); Corepressor

DEC1 is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein related to Drosophila Hairy, Enhancer of split and HES, and involved in the control of proliferation and/or differentiation of chondrocytes, neurons, etc. We report here the identification and characterization of human, mouse and rat DEC2, a novel member of the DEC subfamily. DEC2 had high (97%) and moderate (52%) similarities in the bHLH region and the Orange domain with DEC1, respectively. However, DEC2, but not DEC1, had alanine and glycine-rich regions in the C-terminal half. Unlike Hairy, Enhancer of split and HES, DEC2 lacked the WRPW motif for interaction with the corepressor Groucho. The DEC2 gene was mapped to human chromosome 12p11.23-p12.1, mouse chromosome 6 G2-G3 and rat chromosome 4q43 distal-q4, where the conserved linkage homology has been identified among these species. Unlike DEC1, which was broadly expressed in many tissues, DEC2 showed a more restricted pattern of mRNA expression. The DEC subfamily proteins may play an important role in tissue development.