Zinc Finger Protein 28 Homolog (ZFP28)

Transcription factors play an essential role in controlling gene expression during cardiac and vascular pathogeneses. Identification of regulatory genes in the cardiovascular system is a necessary step toward an understanding of the pathogenesis of congenital heart disease and acquired cardiovascular diseases. The ZFP28 cDNA sequence is 4104 bp and contains a 2076-bp ORF that encodes an 868 amino acid protein with an N-terminal signal peptide, two KRAB domains, and 14 C-terminal C₂H₂ zinc finger motifs. Northern blot analyses showed a strong expression of ZNF359 and ZFP28 in various tissues of adult human. A further analysis using human embryonic tissues showed a development-specific expression pattern in heart, skeletal muscle, liver, lung, kidney, and brain, suggesting a role for these genes in embryonic development.