Click here to close Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Echinobase and may cause the site to display incorrectly. We suggest using a current version of Chrome, FireFox, or Safari.
Echinobase
ECB-ART-39959
Bioinformatics 2006 Dec 01;2223:2841-5. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btl498.
Show Gene links Show Anatomy links

Meisetz and the birth of the KRAB motif.

Birtle Z , Ponting CP .


???displayArticle.abstract???
The largest family of transcription factors in mammals is of Cys(2)His(2) zinc finger-proteins, each with an NH(2)-terminal KRAB motif. Extensive expansions of this family have occurred in separate mammalian lineages, with approximately 400 such genes known in the human genome. Despite their widespread occurrence, the evolutionary provenance of the KRAB motif is unclear since previously it has not been found outside of the tetrapod vertebrates. Here, we show that homologues of the histone methyltransferase Meisetz are present within the sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) genome. Sea urchin and mammalian Meisetz sequences each contain an N-terminal KRAB motif, which thereby establishes an early origin of the KRAB motif prior to the divergence of echinoderm and chordate lineages. Finally, we present evidence that KRAB motifs derive from a novel family of KRI (KRAB Interior) motifs that were present in the last common ancestor of animals, plants and fungi.

???displayArticle.pubmedLink??? 17032681
???displayArticle.link??? Bioinformatics
???displayArticle.grants??? [+]

Genes referenced: LOC100887844 LOC579909 LOC586122