Isolation and Sequence Analysis of a Novel Human Tyrosine Kinase Gene

Abstract

Using v-abl probes, we have identified and cloned a novel fes/fps-homologous human cDNA, which we have designated FER (pronounced “fair”). This apparently full-length cDNA of 3.0 kilobases has an open reading frame of 2,466 base pairs and the capacity to encode a protein of 94,000 molecular weight. The cDNA contains regions homologous to the highly conserved tyrosine protein kinase domain of other oncogenes and growth factor receptors but lacks a clear transmembrane region, indicating that it encodes a tyrosine kinase of the nonreceptor type. The deduced amino acid sequence of FER resembles that of c-fes/fps. Our data indicate that the protein product of FER, p94^FER, corresponds to a previously reported cellular phosphoprotein, NCP94, detected with a v-fps-specific antipeptide antiserum.