Zinc Finger CCCH-Type Containing Protein 4 (ZC3H4)

ZC3H4 contains 3 C3H1-type zinc fingers. The CCCH family of tandem zinc finger proteins has recently been shown to promote the turnover of certain mRNAs containing class II AU-rich elements (AREs). In the case of one member of this family, tristetraprolin (TTP), absence of the protein in knockout mice leads to stabilization of two mRNAs containing AREs of this type, those encoding tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. TTP stimulated the turnover of the ARE-containing mRNAs, despite the demonstrated absence of a poly(A) tail. members of this class of CCCH proteins can promote class II ARE-containing mRNA turnover even in the absence of a poly(A) tail, suggesting that the processive removal of the poly(A) tail may not be required for this type of CCCH protein-stimulated mRNA turnover.