Placenta Specific Protein 9 (PLAC9)

By microarray assay to search for mouse genes enriched in placenta, Galaviz-Hernandez et al. (2003) identified Plac9 as a placenta-enriched gene expressed in mouse 16-cell morula cDNA. By database analysis, they identified human PLAC9, which encodes a deduced 97-amino acid protein. The deduced 108-amino acid mouse protein has a predicted signal peptide, a coiled-coil domain, and shares 73% identity with human PLAC9. Northern blot analysis of mouse placenta and embryo RNA at 12.5 and 18.5 days postcoitum (dpc) detected predominant expression in placenta.Galaviz-Hernandez et al. (2003) determined that the mouse Plac9 gene contains 4 exons, with exons 4a and 4b defining different Plac9 isoforms. Galaviz-Hernandez et al. (2003) mapped the PLAC9 gene to chromosome 10q22.3 and the mouse Plac9 gene to chromosome 15.