BSMAP, a novel protein expressed specifically in the brain whose gene is localized on chromosome 19p12

Using the sequence of cosmids derived from chromosome 19p12, we have identified a gene encoding a novel protein, BSMAP (brain-specific membrane-anchored protein) and cloned cDNA encoding the full-length open reading frame. Northern blot analysis revealed that BSMAP mRNA is preferentially expressed at a high level in the brain. BSMAP has a putative transmembrane domain and is predicted to be a type-I membrane glycoprotein. Genomic sequence analysis revealed that the gene encoding BSMAP consists of eight exons spanning approximately 8 kb and lies 6 kb away from the gene encoding CLF-1 in a reverse orientation. Although no candidate genetic disorders were found to map either to this precise region of chromosome 19 or to the syntenic region of the mouse genome, the highly specific expression of BSMAP mRNA suggests a role for the protein in CNS function.