Based on sequence similarity to a consensus zinc finger domain, we have identified cDNAs encoding five proteins containing zinc finger nucleic acid binding motifs from a newborn mouse lens library. Utilizing these cDNAs as hybridization probes, we have mapped two of the corresponding genes to mouse Chr (chromosome) 11, two to mouse Chr 7, and one to mouse Chr 4 using two multilocus crosses. Because the zinc finger proteins encoded by these genes may be involved in regulating other genes that are expressed in lens, they can be considered candidates for the large number of yet unmapped cataract loci.