Transcription of Human Zinc Finger ZNF268 Gene Requires an Intragenic Promoter Element*

Human ZNF268 gene is a typical Krüppel-associated box/ C2H2 zinc finger gene whose homolog has been found only in higher mammals and not in lower mammals such as mouse. Its expression profiles have suggested that it plays a role in the dif-ferentiation of blood cells during early human embryonic devel-opment and the pathogenesis of leukemia. To gain additional insight into the molecular mechanisms controlling the expres-sion of the ZNF268 gene and to provide the necessary tools for further genetic studies of leukemia, we have mapped the 5-end of the human ZNF268mRNAby reverse transcription-PCR and primer extension assays. We then cloned the 5-flanking ge-nomicDNAcontaining the putativeZNF268 gene promoter and analyzed its function in several different human and mouse tis-sue culture cell lines. Interestingly, our studies show that the ZNF268 gene lacks a typical eukaryotic promoter that is presen