Melanoma Antigen Family B17 (MAGEB17)

By searching databases for sequences similar to MAGED2, Chomez et al. (2001) identified MAGEB17. The deduced protein contains the characteristic MAGE domain of about 200 amino acids. RT-PCR detected MAGEB17 expression in testis, but not in other normal tissues examined.By genomic sequence analysis, Chomez et al. (2001) mapped the MAGEB gene cluster to chromosome Xp22.2-p21.2.MAGED2 gene contains 14 exons, of which 2 are alternative first exons. The ORF begins in exon 2 and ends in exon 12. MAGED2 is expressed ubiquitously in normal human tissues and in most, if not all, cell types. Sequence analysis of MAGED2 and necdin did not reveal any of the known MAGE antigenic peptides.