HGNC Approved Gene Symbol: EMP3
Cytogenetic location: 19q13.33 Genomic coordinates (GRCh38): 19:48,325,552-48,330,553 (from NCBI)
By homology screening of databases, Ben-Porath and Benvenisty (1996) and Taylor and Suter (1996) independently identified a cDNA encoding epithelial membrane protein-3 (EMP3). The open reading frame predicts a 163-amino acid protein containing 4 transmembrane domains and 2 N-linked glycosylation sites in the first extracellular loop. Taylor and Suter (1996) showed that the EMP3 cDNA generates an 18-kD protein in vitro. The EMP3 amino acid sequence is 41% and 38% identical to those of peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22; 601097) and EMP2 (602334), respectively, with the highest homology found in the transmembrane domains. Due to the high amino acid sequence homology among PMP22, EMP1 (602333), EMP2, and EMP3, Ben-Porath and Benvenisty (1996) stated that these proteins comprise a novel family. Based on the suggested functions of PMP22, Ben-Porath and Benvenisty (1996) and Taylor and Suter (1996) proposed that EMP3 is involved in cell proliferation and cell-cell interactions. Using Northern blot analysis, Taylor and Suter (1996) detected EMP3 expression in all adult tissues examined, with the highest expression in peripheral blood leukocytes and low expression in the brain. In the fetus, they found prominent expression in the lung, liver, and kidney and weak expression in the brain.
By FISH, somatic cell hybridization, and radiation hybrid analysis, Liehr et al. (1999) mapped the EMP3 gene to chromosome 19q13.3. Ben Porath et al. (1998) mapped the homologous gene in the mouse to chromosome 7.
Ben-Porath, I., Benvenisty, N. Characterization of a tumor-associated gene, a member of a novel family of genes encoding membrane glycoproteins. Gene 183: 69-75, 1996. [PubMed: 8996089] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1119(96)00475-1]
Ben Porath, I., Kozak, C. A., Benvenisty, N. Chromosomal mapping of Tmp (Emp1), Xmp (Emp2), and Ymp (Emp3), genes encoding membrane proteins related to Pmp22. Genomics 49: 443-447, 1998. [PubMed: 9615230] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1006/geno.1998.5238]
Liehr, T., Kuhlenbaumer, G., Wulf, P., Taylor, V., Suter, U., Van Broeckhoven, C., Lupski, J. R., Claussen, U., Rautenstrauss, B. Regional localization of the human epithelial membrane protein genes 1, 2, and 3 (EMP1, EMP2, EMP3) to 12p12.3, 16p13.2, and 19q13.3. Genomics 58: 106-108, 1999. [PubMed: 10331954] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1006/geno.1999.5803]
Taylor, V., Suter, U. Epithelial membrane protein-2 and epithelial membrane protein-3: two novel members of the peripheral myelin protein 22 gene family. Gene 175: 115-120, 1996. [PubMed: 8917086] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1119(96)00134-5]