Isochorismatase Domain Containing Protein 2 (ISOC2)

By yeast 2-hybrid screening of a human adult liver cDNA library using full-length p16(INK4a) (CDKN2A) as bait, Huang et al. (2007) cloned ISOC2.The deduced 205-amino acid protein has a high leucine content (16.7%) and contains a C-terminal isochorismatase domain. RT-PCR analysis of mouse tissues detected strong expression in uterus, stomach, bladder, and kidney with moderate expression in thymus, heart, and lung, and low expression in liver, ovary, spleen, and intestine. Confocal microscopy studies localized ISOC2 to the cytoplasm; however, ISOC2 was redistributed to the nucleus when coexpressed with p16(INK4a). Huang et al. (2007) suggested that ISOC2 interacts with and is transported to the nucleus in a p16(INK4a)-dependent manner.