SpZ12-1

Function

SpZ12-1 is a zinc-finger transcription factor, which binds the P6 target site in the middle module of the CyIIIa actin gene.
SpZ12-1 is a negative regulator required for spatial control of the CyIIIa gene expression (Wang D.G. et.al.,1995).

Protein

SpZ12-1 is a protein with twelve tandem Zn fingers of TFIIIA type near the carboxyl terminus. This type of Zn finger is one of the most common DNA binding motifs among eucaryotic transcription factors, and can recognize a diverse set of DNA sequences. The similarities between the finger motif of SpZ12-1 and Drosophila segmentation gene kruppel is striking.
SpZ12-1 contains many potential sites for phosphorilation, but the significance of this is hard to evaluate due to the preponderance of serine, theonine and proline residues in the sequence. Resent studies have revealed that a number of SpZ12-1 variants are present in the early embryo, they appear to be the consequence of posttranslational modification (Wang D.G. et.al.,1995).
GenBank: 642060

Subcellular location

Egg cytoplasm, embryonic nuclei and cytoplasm (Wang D.G. et.al.,1995).

Expression Pattern

This factor is present in significant quantities even in unfertilized egg cytoplasm, and in similar quantities in mesenchyme blastula-stage embryo cytoplasm.
SpZ12-1 enters the embryonic nuclei between late cleavage and mesenchyme blastula stages (Wang D.G. et al.,1995).