Identification of LZP gene from Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus coding for a novel liver-specific ZP domain-containing secretory protein.

Zona pellucida (ZP) domain has been recognized in a number of receptor-like eukaryotic glycoproteins, which involved in many important biological processes, such as signal transduction, development, differentiation and so on. Here we report the identification of Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus orthologues of Homo sapiens LZP gene which codes for a novel ZP domain-containing protein. Sequence analysis revealed that human, rat and mouse LZP proteins are highly conserved. Mouse LZP gene has two transcripts, 2.4 and 2.8 KB long respectively, coding for identical protein. Mouse LZP mRNA is expressed specifically in hepatocytes. Our data also showed that mouse LZP localizes mostly on nuclear envelope, and at the same time, it can be secreted into blood in a truncated form.