[Molecular cloning and expression analysis of a novel human gene ZNF18]

The zinc-finger motif found in many transcription factors is thought to be important for human heart development and diseases. This study reports cloning and expression analysis of a novel human zinc finger protein ZNF18 cDNA. The ZNF18 cDNA is 2,767 bp in length encoding a 549-amino-acid protein that contains a SCAN-box, a KRAB box and five consecutive C2H2 zinc finger motifs. ZNF18 shows high similarity with mouse Zfp535 (identity 77%). The ZNF18 gene is located on human chromosome 17p12-p13 with 9 exons and 8 introns. ZNF18 was ubiquitously expressed in adult mouse tissues except heart as revealed by Northern blot. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that expression of ZNF18 in mouse embryos was very dynamic. Expression was predominantly in extraembryonic tissues of E7.5 mouse embryo. By E8.5, ZNF18 began to express in anterior of trunk, and became abundant in tail and heart at E9.0, especially in the embryo heart at E10.5. These expression results suggest that ZNF18 may play an important role in the development of embryo heart.