HMGN4, a Newly Discovered Nucleosome-Binding Protein Encoded by an Intronless Gene

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Abstract
We describe a newly discovered nuclear protein, HMGN4, that is closely related to the canonical HMGN2 nucleosome-binding protein. The protein is encoded by an intronless gene, which, in humans, is located in the hereditary hemochromatosis [correction of hemachromatosis] region at position 6p21.3. A single approximately 2-kb HMGN4 mRNA was found to be expressed, in variable amounts, in all human tissues tested; however, the HMGN4 transcript was significantly less abundant than that of HMGN2. The HMGN4 protein could be detected in HeLa cells by Western analysis with an antibody elicited against a unique region of the protein. Transfection of HeLa cells with a plasmid expressing HMGN4-GFP indicated that the protein localizes to the nucleus. Our results expand the multiplicity of the HMGN protein family and increase the known cellular repertoire of nucleosome-binding proteins.