In our previous studies, DAZAP2 gene expression was down-regulated inuntreated patients of multiple myeloma (MM). For better studying the structure and function ofDAZAP2, a full-length cDNA was isolated from mononuclear cells of a normal human bone marrow,sequenced and deposited to Genbank (AY430097). This sequence has an identical ORF (open readingframe) as the NM.014764 from human testis and the D31767 from human cell line KG-1. Phylogeneticanalysis and structure prediction reveal that DAZAP2 homologues are highly conserved throughoutevolution and share a polyproline region and several potential SH2/SH3 binding sites. DAZAP2 occursas a single-copy gene with a four-exon organization. We further noticed that the functional DAZAP2gene is located on Chromosome 12 and its pseudogene gene is on Chromosome 2 with electronic locationof human chromosome in Genbank, though no genetic abnormalities of MM have been reported onChromosome 12. The ORF of human DAZAP2 encodes a 17-kDa protein, which is highly similar to mousePrtb. The DAZAP2 protein is mainly localized in cytoplasm with a discrete pattern of punctuateddistribution. DAZAP2 may associate with carcinogenesis of MM and participate in yet-to-be identifiedsignaling pathways to regulate proliferation and differentiation of plasma cells.
