The imprinted NPAP1 gene in the Prader-Willi syndrome region belongs to a POM121-related family of retrogenes.

ABSTRACT: We have recently shown that the human Nuclear pore-associated protein (NPAP1)/C15orf2 gene encodes a nuclear pore-associated protein. This gene is one of several paternally expressed imprinted genes in the genomic region 15q11q13. Because the Prader-Willi syndrome is known to be caused by the loss of function of paternally expressed genes in 15q11q13, a phenotypic contribution of NPAP1 cannot be excluded. NPAP1 appears to be under strong positive Darwinian selection in primates, suggesting an important function in primate biology. Interestingly, however, in contrast to all other protein-coding genes in 15q11q13, NPAP1 has no ortholog in the mouse. Our investigation of the evolutionary origin of NPAP1 showed that the gene is specific to primate species and absent from the 15q11q13-orthologo

SUBMITTER: Neumann LC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3942032 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature