Limatin (LIMAB1), an actin-binding LIM protein, maps to mouse chromosome 19 and human chromosome 10q25, a region frequently deleted in human cancers.

LIM domains, found in over 60 proteins, play key roles in the regulation of developmental pathways. They were first identified as cysteine-rich motifs found in the three proteins Lin-11, Isl-1, and Mec-3. LIM proteins frequently contain DNA-binding homeodomains, allowing these proteins to activate transcription. LIM domains also function as protein-binding interfaces, mediating specific protein-protein interactions. Limatin is a novel LIM protein that binds to actin filaments via a domain that is homologous to erythrocyte dematin. Here we report the murine and human chromosomal localizations of limatin (LIMAB1). Limatin was mapped to mouse Chromosome 19 by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and to human chromosome region 10q25 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Radiation hybrid mapping placed LIMAB1 in a 37-cR interval between markers D10S554 and D10S2390. Interestingly, 10q25 is a region of frequent loss of heterozygosity in human tumors, thus identifying limatin as a candidate tumor suppressor gene.