DEAQ Box RNA Dependent ATPase 1 (DQX1)

DQX1 is a novel gene related to the RNA-dependent ATPases. The gene was classified as a member of the DEAD/H family on the basis of the conserved order and spacing of ten short protein motifs. The unique features of DQX1 include replacement of the signature DEAH motif with DEAQ and the absence of the helicase motif. The 3.2-kb Dqx1 transcript has highest expression in muscle and liver. DQX1 is located between AUP1 and HOX11L1 in a gene-dense region of human Chromosome (Chr) 2p13 and mouse Chr 6. Although DQX1 is within the nonrecombinant region for the mouse neuromuscular mutant mnd2, no difference in coding sequence, transcript length, or transcript abundance was observed between normal mice and mnd2 mutant mice.