Forkhead transcription factors appear to play important roles in cell fate determination and cell-specific gene expression during development. To study the role of these transcription factors in human development and disease, a human forkhead transcription factor HFH-4 was isolated by screening a human fetal lung cDNA library with a rat HFH-4 probe. Sequence analysis of isolated clones revealed an open reading frame of 421 amino acids with a conserved 100 amino acid DNA binding domain. Comparison of the human amino acid sequence to the murine and rat proteins revealed greater than 90% amino acid identity overall and 100% identity within the DNA binding domain. Comparison to previously identified human forkhead DNA binding domains revealed less than 50% amino acid homology. The human cDNA is encoded by a single Hfh-4 gene localized to chromosome 17q21-25 by Southern blot analysis of human/hamster somatic cell hybrid DNA. Examination of adult human tissues by RNA blot analysis revealed expression of a 2.5 kb HFH-4 transcript in male and female reproductive tissues, lung, and brain. In human fetal tissue at 22 to 24 weeks gestation a 2.5 kb transcript was present in lung, kidney and brain. By in situ hybridization, expression of HFH-4 in the human fetal lung was restricted to the developing bronchiolar epithelium. Expression of HFH-4 in developing human organs suggests a role for this transcription factor in regulating human developmental processes.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
(Spon. by F. Sessions Cole).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pelletier, G., Brody, S., White, R. et al. A FORKHEAD TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR EXPRESSED IN DEVELOPING HUMAN LUNG, KIDNEY AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. • 380. Pediatr Res 39 (Suppl 4), 66 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199604001-00400
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199604001-00400