Neuronal differentiation factor TA20--homology with cytochrome b

TA20 is a cDNA clone which was previously reported to encode a novel neuronal differentiation factor. However, the majority of this clone has near perfect DNA sequence homology with cytochrome b mitochondrial sequence and an additional 5' region which lacks homology with any previously reported sequence. Furthermore, careful study of the library construction method indicates that the full length TA20 clone is likely an artifact arising from the head-to-head blunt-ended ligation of two unrelated cDNAs. Thus, the effects on growth and neurite outgrowth observed in correlation with the overexpression of TA20 in neuronal cells, as well as its mRNA distribution in the developing rat brain require further study.