Identification and characterization of human FOXN5 and rat Foxn5 genes in silico

Forkhead-box (FOX) genes are implicated in embryogenesis through transcriptional regulation depending on SHH-GLI pathway, TGF-beta pathway etc., and also in carcinogenesis through gene amplification, retroviral integration and chromosomal translocation. FOXN1, FOXN2 (HTLF), FOXN3 (CHES1) and FOXN4 constitute the FOXN family. Here, we identified and characterized the FOXN5 gene, a novel member of FOXN gene family, by using bioinformatics. IMAGE5167039 (BC028191.1) was the representative cDNA derived from human FOXN5 gene. Rat Foxn5 gene, consisting of six exons, was identified within rat genome sequence CH230-26K11 (AC107575.5). Complete coding sequence of rat Foxn5 cDNA was determined by assembling nucleotide sequences of rat Foxn5 exons. Human FOXN5 (292 aa) and rat Foxn5 (296 aa) showed 77.4% total-amino-acid identity. Codon 173-254 of FOXN5 was the Forkhead domain. FOXN5 gene, consisting of six exons, was linked to BCL9L gene at human chromosome 11q23.3. FOXN5 is a candidate tumor suppressor gene (TSG), just like ARHGAP20 (KIAA1391), BTG4, SNF1LK2 (SIK2), DIXDC1 (KIAA1735) genes at 11q23.1, TTC12 (TPARM) gene at 11q23.2, IGSF4, DSCAML1, LL5A (PHLDB1), BCL9L, RNF26, and MFRP genes at 11q23.3. This is the first report on the human FOXN5 and rat Foxn5 genes.