¹U119 INSERM, Institut de Cancérologie et d'Immunologie de Marseille, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France

Correspondence: Jacques A Nunès, U119 INSERM, 27 Bd Leï Roure, 13009 Marseille Cedex, France. E-mail: nunes@marseille.inserm.fr

^*These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Dok proteins are adapter proteins involved in signal transduction. Several intracellular proteins expressed in lymphocytes meet the criteria of membrane-associated adapter proteins such as members of the Dok family. To understand the role and the formation of multiprotein networks involving Dok proteins in T lymphocytes, we search for potential additional members of this family. Here, we describe the two new human dok-related genes DOK4 and DOK5 and present data showing the expression of DOK4 and DOK5 genes in T cells. These genes are the orthologues of mouse Dok4 and Dok5 genes. Based on analysis of phylogenetic trees and exon/intron structure of Dok family members, DOK4 and DOK5 define a subfamily within dok genes distinct from DOK1, DOK2 and DOK3. So, Dok-4 and Dok-5 molecules constitute a new group of adapter proteins in T cells, requiring further functional analysis.