Zinc Finger-like Motif Conserved in a Family of RNA Binding Proteins

Abstract

NP220s compose a family of RNA binding proteins together with matrin 3, one of major proteins of the nuclear matrix. They have repeats of RNA recognition motif (RRM; MH2) homologous to RRM in heterogeneous nuclear RNPs I/L in addition to MH1 and MH3 with unknown function. In search of additional homologous sequences, we found the reported sequence of rat matrin 3 is partially incorrect. Correction of this sequence showed that the NP220 family has a fourth homologous motif with the characteristics of a Cys₂-His₂ zinc finger-like motif. The sequence of this motif is perfectly conserved in human and mouse NP220s despite their 75% overall sequence homology.