HGNC Approved Gene Symbol: THAP9
Cytogenetic location: 4q21.22 Genomic coordinates (GRCh38): 4:82,900,735-82,919,969 (from NCBI)
By searching databases, Roussigne et al. (2003) identified several proteins containing an N-terminal THAP domain, including THAP9. The THAP domain of the deduced 903-amino acid THAP9 protein includes a C2CH signature, an AVPTIF box, and several other conserved amino acids. The THAP domain is followed by a stretch that shares similarity with the Drosophila P element transposase.
Hartz (2009) mapped the THAP9 gene to chromosome 4q21.22 based on an alignment of the THAP9 sequence (GenBank AK026973) with the genomic sequence (build 36.1).
Majumdar et al. (2013) showed that human THAP9 can mobilize Drosophila P elements in both Drosophila and human cells. Chimeric proteins formed between the Drosophila P element transposase N-terminal THAP DNA-binding domain; the C-terminal regions of human THAP9 can also mobilize Drosophila P elements. Majumdar et al. (2013) concluded that human THAP9 is an active DNA transposase that, although 'domesticated,' still retains the catalytic activity to mobilize P transposable elements across species.
Hartz, P. A. Personal Communication. Baltimore, Md. 1/16/2009.
Majumdar, S., Singh, A., Rio, D. C. The human THAP9 gene encodes an active P-element DNA transposase. Science 339: 446-448, 2013. [PubMed: 23349291] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1231789]
Roussigne, M., Kossida, S., Lavigne, A.-C., Clouaire, T., Ecochard, V., Glories, A., Amalric, F., Girard, J.-P. The THAP domain: a novel protein motif with similarity to the DNA-binding domain of P element transposase. Trends Biochem. Sci. 28: 66-69, 2003. [PubMed: 12575992] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-0004(02)00013-0]