Cloning and characterization of Rep-8 (D8S2298E) in the human chromosome 8p11.2-p12

A novel human gene referred to as the Rep-8 gene (D8S2298E) was cloned by a combination of exon trapping, thermal asymmetric interlaced-PCR, and screening of a cDNA library. It is located in human chromosome 8p11.2-p12. The gene consists of eight exons and spans about 20 kb between the glutathione S-reductase and the protein phosphatase 2A beta subunit genes. The full-length Rep-8 gene contains 1483 nucleotides and codes for a protein of 270 amino acids. Southern blot experiments showed that the Rep-8 gene exists as a single copy per haploid. With a zoo blot analysis, human Rep-8 DNA hybridized strongly with the monkey DNA, but only weakly with the DNAs of species other than Homo sapiens. Northern blot analysis showed that it is expressed abundantly in the testis and ovary, suggesting that the Rep-8 gene product may play a role in reproduction.