Molecular cloning of six novel Krüppel-like zinc finger genes from hematopoietic cells and identification of a novel transregulatory domain KRNB.

To clone zinc finger genes expressed in hematopoietic system, we designed primers based on conserved Cys(2)/His(2) zinc finger sequences to amplify corresponding domains from mRNA of normal bone marrow and leukemia cell line NB4. DNA fragments of novel zinc finger genes were chosen and used as probe pool to screen cDNA libraries or subject to rapid amplification of cDNA ends in order to obtain full-length cDNA. Six cDNAs including whole open reading frame of zinc finger proteins, named as ZNF191, ZNF253 (BMZF-1), ZNF255 (BMZF-2), ZNF256 (BMZF-3), ZNF257 (BMZF-4), and ZNF254 (BMZF-5) were obtained. All six belong to the Krüppel-like zinc finger gene family, and typical transcriptional regulatory motifs exist in the N-terminal moiety, such as the SCAN box in ZNF191, and the KRAB domains in ZNF253, ZNF254, ZNF256, and ZNF257. A previously undefined sequence nominated as Krüppel-related novel box, which may represent a new transregulatory motif, was revealed at the N terminus of ZNF255. The transregulatory function of non-zinc finger regions of ZNF191, ZNF253, and ZNF255 were addressed in yeast and mammalian cells. The results indicated that ZNF255 might be a conditional transactivator, whereas ZNF253 and ZNF191 displayed a suppressive effect on the transcription in yeast and/or mammalian systems.