ZFWD: a novel subfamily of plant proteins containing a C3H zinc finger and seven WD40 repeats.

We describe a new subfamily of WD repeat proteins characterised by the presence of a C3H zinc finger at the N-terminal part of the protein associated with seven WD40 repeats. We have identified four members of this subfamily in Arabidopsis thaliana, one of them with associated expressed sequence tags (ESTs). We have also identified homologous ESTs in rice, cotton, maize, poplar, pine tree and the ice plant. We do not observe animal homologues, suggesting that this subfamily could be specific for plants. Our data suggest an important role for these proteins. Based on the high sequence conservation within the conserved domains, we suggest that these proteins could have a regulatory function.