Protein and gene participating in the differentiation of immortalized cells

摘要

A novel gene was unexpectedly isolated in an attempt to isolate a gene specifically expressed in immortalized cells via antibody screening using an antibody raised against a protein occurring specifically in immortalized cells. The gene thus isolated shares no sequence homology with the entries deposited in the database and was strongly expressed in skeletal muscles and undifferentiated cells. The protein encoded by this gene inhibits the differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes. It also inhibits the transactivation function of p53, a transcription factor involved in tumor suppression.