Family With Sequence Similarity 58, Member A (FAM58A)

The 642-bp coding region encodes a protein of 214 amino acids. Using EST data, the authors found expression of the FAM58A gene in 27 of 48 adult tissues including kidney, colon, cervix, and uterus, but not heart. Genes homologous to FAM58A were found on the X chromosome in chimpanzee and dog; in mouse and rat, no true homologs were found. FAM58A contains a cyclin box-fold domain, a protein-binding domain found in cyclins with a role in cell cycle and transcription control. Coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that FAM58A interacts with SALL1 but not SALL4, suggesting that FAM58A and SALL1 participate in the same developmental pathway. Knockdown of FAM58A mRNA by RNA interference (RNAi) in HEK293 cells resulted in a significant reduction of both FAM58A mRNA expression and proliferation of transfected cells.