RAI1 is a novel polyglutamine encoding gene that is deleted in Smith-Magenis syndrome patients

The human chromosomal band 17pl 1.2 is a genetically unstable interval. It has been shown to be deleted in patients suffering from Smith-Magenis syndrome. Previous efforts of physical and transcriptional mapping in 17pl 1.2 and subsequent genomic sequencing of the candidate interval allowed the identification of new genes that might be responsible for the Smith-Magenis syndrome. In this report, one of these genes named RAI1, the human homologue of the mouse Rail gene, has been investigated for its contribution to the syndrome. Expression analysis on different human adult and fetal tissues has shown the existence of at least three splice variants. Moreover, the most interesting feature of the gene is the presence of a polymorphic CAG repeat coding for a polyglutamine stretch in the amino terminal domain of the protein. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B,V. Ail rights reserved.