CKLF Like MARVEL Transmembrane Domain Containing Protein 1 (CMTM1)

CMTM1 belongs to the chemokine-like factor gene superfamily, a novel family that is similar to the chemokine and the transmembrane 4 superfamilies of signaling molecules. The protein encoded by this gene may play an important role in testicular development. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified. The CKLFSF1 gene encodes at least 23 alternatively spliced isoforms. One variant encodes a 169-amino acid protein that has a CC chemokine motif and 4 transmembrane segments. CKLFSF1 shares closest similarity with CKLF, CKLFSF2, and CKLFSF7. The N terminus of CKLFSF1 shares similarity with CCL17, and the C terminus shares similarity with CCL22 and fractalkine (CX3CL1). Northern blot analysis detected a 1.14-kb transcript that was highly expressed in testis.