PKCnu, a new member of the protein kinase C family, composes a fourth subfamily with PKCmu.

Members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of serine/threonine kinases are thought to play critical roles in the regulation of cellular differentiation and proliferation in many cell types. An additional member of the PKC family was identified through human expressed sequence tag (EST) database search and its full length cDNA was isolated. Sequence analysis revealed that the predicted translation product was composed of 890 amino acid residues and that the protein has 77.3% similarity to human PKC mu (PKCmu) and 77. 4% similarity to mouse PKD (the mouse homolog of PKCmu). We designated the new member as protein kinase C nu (PKCnu). The PKCnu messenger RNA was ubiquitously expressed in various tissues when analyzed by Northern blots and reverse transcriptase-coupled polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses. The chromosomal location of the gene was determined between markers WI-9798 and D2S177 on chromosome 2p21 region by PCR-based methods with both a human/rodent monochromosomal hybrid cell panel and a radiation hybrid mapping panel.