Amplification of a DEAD box protein gene in retinoblastoma cell lines.

DEAD box proteins, characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp, are putative RNA helicases implicated in a number of cellular processes involving alteration of RNA secondary structure such as translation initiation, nuclear and mitochondrial splicing, and ribosome and spliceosome assembly. Based on their distribution patterns, some members of this family are believed to be involved in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and cellular growth and division. Here, we report that the mRNA encoding a DEAD box protein, designated HuDBP-RB, is present at elevated levels in two of six retinoblastoma (RB) cell lines tested and is preferentially expressed in fetal tissues of neuroectodermal origin. It is not possible to classify HuDBP-RB as a member of any of the DEAD box protein subgroups identified to date since the regions of amino acid similarity between HuDBP-RB and other DEAD box proteins are restricted to the conserved motifs found in all members of this family. The HuDBP-RB gene, which has been mapped to chromosome band 2p24, is amplified in the RB cell lines that overexpress HuDBP-RB RNA. Furthermore, the MYCN gene is also present in multiple copies in these two cell lines, suggesting coamplification of the two genes.