The chromosome localization and the HCF repeats of the human host cell factor gene (HCFC1) are conserved in the mouse homologue

The gene encoding the human host cell factor (HCFC1) has recently been cloned and mapped to Xq28. HCFC1 codes for a family of related polypeptides that apparently arise from posttranslational processing. Six extremely conserved 19-amino-acid (aa)long motifs, unique to HCFC1 and located in the middle of the protein, could play a role in this processing or could be instrumental to the physiological role of the protein. Alternatively, these repeats could have arisen from recent duplications and may not have any specific function. To resolve this issue, we cloned the homologous region from the mouse Hcfc1 gene and demonstrated that the 19-aa motifs are extremely conserved in sequence, number, and genomic organization, while the 'linker' region between the third and fourth repeat is not. This suggests an important function for these repeats. In addition, by RT-PCR analysis of human RNA and comparison to the human genomic sequence, an alternative transcript including a 44-aa in-frame insertion, deriving from the 3' end of intron 18, was found. The significance of this alternative transcript is unknown, since it was not detectable in the mouse. The mouse Hcfc1 gene maps to a region syntenic to Xq28, and, as in human, is in close proximity to the Renin-binding protein gene, in a 100-kb region also including the L1cam and vasopressin receptor type 2 genes.