GLIS Family Zinc Finger Protein 1 (GLIS1)

GLIS1 is a GLI-related Kruppel-like zinc finger protein that functions as an activator and repressor of transcription. The deduced 789-amino acid protein contains a bipartite nuclear localization signal, a proline-rich region, and a zinc finger domain consisting of 5 tandem C2H2-type zinc finger motifs. Northern blot analysis of mouse tissues detected highest expression of Glis1 in placenta and kidney, lower expression in testis, and little expression in other tissues examined. RT-PCR analysis detected high expression in kidney, low expression in brain, colon, brown fat, testis, and thymus, and no expression in lung, spleen, liver, pancreas, and muscle, In situ hybridization of mouse embryos showed that Glis1 was expressed primarily in the mesodermal lineages, including craniofacial regions, branchial arches, somites, vibrissal and hair follicles, limb buds, and myotomes.