Zinc Finger Protein 161 Homolog (ZFP161)

ZFP161 encodes a zinc finger protein of 449 amino acids with a predicted mass of 51 kD. The deduced amino acid sequence is 99% identical to mouse ZF5 and 95% identical to chicken ZF5. Mouse ZF5 has been shown to be a transcription repressor of c-myc and tk promoters. The ZF5 sequence contains a hydrophobic domain, known as BTB/POZ, near its N terminus. The protein contains 5 Kruppel-type C2H2 zinc fingers near its C terminus.

Sugiura et al. (1997) used immunofluorescence to localize the ZF5 protein in transfected COS-7 cells. Full-length ZF5 protein was located in discrete dots in the nucleus, while ZF5 lacking the BTB/POZ domain was located in the nuclear periphery, suggesting to the authors that the BTB/POZ domain directs the protein to specific sites in the nucleus.