Identification of a novel LIM domain gene, LMCD1, and chromosomal localization in human and mouse

A new human LIM domain gene LMCD1 was identified from RT-PCR products, and partial sequencing of two expressed sequence tag clones flanking the assembled cDNA contig revealed a 1743-bp full-length cDNA with 1098-bp open reading frame. The coding sequence of the putative protein is 57.6% identical to murine testin 1 gene (Tes1), whereas the predicted 365-amino-acid protein is 49.5% identical to the mouse Tes1 protein. The predicted LMCD1 protein contains a novel cysteine-rich domain residing in the amino-terminal region and two LIM domains with regular spacing in the carboxy-terminal region. Northern blot analysis indicated expression of the 1.7-kb transcript in many tissues, with highest abundance in skeletal muscle. Radiation hybrid mapping localized human LMCD1 to the telomeric region of chromosome 3p, and genetic mapping assigned the mouse Lmcd1 locus to the central region of chromosome 6.