FEZ Family Zinc Finger Protein 2 (FEZF2)

By searching databases for sequences similar to Xenopus Fez, Matsuo-Takasaki et al. (2000) identified human FEZF2 and orthologs in several other species. The deduced 503-amino acid human protein contains 6 highly conserved zinc fingers in its C-terminal half.Chen et al. (2005) found that mouse Znf312 was selectively expressed by layer V and VI subcortical projection pyramidal neurons and their progenitor cells. Knockdown of Zfp312 with small interfering RNA dramatically reduced the number of subcortical axonal projections from deep-layer pyramidal neurons and altered their dendritic morphology. In contrast, misexpression of Zfp312 in cortical projecting pyramidal neurons of layers II and III induced expression of Tbr1 and formation of ectopic subcortical axonal projections.