Abstract
Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) are a family of zinc finger transcription factors regulating embryonic development and diseases. The phylogenetics of KLFs has not been studied in tree shrews, an animal lineage with a closer relationship to primates than rodents. Here, we identified 17 KLFs from Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis). KLF proteins are highly conserved among humans, monkeys, rats, mice and tree shrews compared to zebrafish and chickens. The CtBP binding site, Sin3A binding site and nuclear localization signals are largely conserved between tree shrews and human beings. Tupaia belangeri (Tb) KLF5 contains several conserved post-transcriptional modification motifs. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression patterns of multiple tbKLFs are tissue-specific. TbKLF5, like hKLF5, significantly promotes NIH3T3 cell proliferation in vitro. These results provide insight for future studies regarding the structure and function of the tbKLF gene family.
Highlights
Human Krüppel-like factors belong to a transcription factor family with 17 members containing three highly conserved zinc finger DNA binding domains at their C-terminus [1, 2]
Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) transcription factors belong to a large zinc finger domain family
Elucidating the structures, functions and expression patterns of the KLF members is important for understanding their essential roles in normal tissue development and diseases
Summary
Human Krüppel-like factors (hKLFs) belong to a transcription factor family with 17 members containing three highly conserved zinc finger DNA binding domains at their C-terminus [1, 2]. KLFs promote the pluripotent state of embryonic stem cells [5, 6], and regulate embryonic and system development, including the cardiovascular [7], respiratory [8], digestive [9], hematological [10], skeleton [11], nervous and immune systems [12, 13]. The C-terminus of all KLFs contains three tandem C2H2 zinc finger domains that directly bind to GC-rich sequences, including GC and GT boxes ( known as the CACCC box) in target gene promoters [24]. Most KLFs contain classical nuclear localization signals (NLS) in their zinc finger (ZF) domains. HKLF8 has two nonclassical NLSs; one is in the first two ZF domains in the www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget
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