Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Krüppel-like transcription factor (KLF) gene family in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis)

• DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13883
• Publication Date: 2016-12-10T20:24:35Z
• Authors: Ming Shao; Guang-Zhe Ge; Wen-Jing Liu; Ji Xiao; Hou-Jun Xia; Yu Fan; Feng Zhao; Bao-Li He; Ceshi Chen
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Binding Sites; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Gene Expression Profiling; Blotting, Western; Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; Tupaiidae; Zinc Fingers; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Cell Line; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Multigene Family; MCF-7 Cells; NIH 3T3 Cells; Animals; Humans; Amino Acid Sequence; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Phylogeny; Research Paper; Cell Proliferation

Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) are a family of zinc finger transcription factors regulating embryonic development and diseases. The phylogenetics of KLFs has not been studied in tree shrews, an animal lineage with a closer relationship to primates than rodents. Here, we identified 17 KLFs from Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis). KLF proteins are highly conserved among humans, monkeys, rats, mice and tree shrews compared to zebrafish and chickens. The CtBP binding site, Sin3A binding site and nuclear localization signals are largely conserved between tree shrews and human beings. Tupaia belangeri (Tb) KLF5 contains several conserved post-transcriptional modification motifs. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression patterns of multiple tbKLFs are tissue-specific . TbKLF5, like hKLF5, significantly promotes NIH3T3 cell proliferation in vitro. These results provide insight for future studies regarding the structure and function of the tbKLF gene family.