Molecular cloning of a novel non-receptor tyrosine kinase, HYL (hematopoietic consensus tyrosine-lacking kinase)

We identified a novel non-receptor tyrosine kinase from a human megakaryoblastic cell line, UT-7, by means of a PCR-based cloning method. The HYL gene contained a SH2 and SH3 domain and a tyrosine kinase catalytic domain. The deduced amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by this gene was most homologous to CSK (c-src kinase). This gene and CSK shared some unique structural properties such as the absence of a myristylation signal and phosphorylation sites of tyrosine residues corresponding to tyrosines 416 and 527 of chicken p60(c-src) Unlike CSK, the SH3 domain of HYL was unique since the ALYDY motif was absent. Northern blot analysis revealed a 2.2 kb transcript in various myeloid cell lines but not in adult tissues except for the brain and the lung, whereas CSK mRNA was ubiquitously expressed. The expression of HYL was upregulated when these myeloid cells were differentiated by induction with phorbol myristate acetate. We named this gene, hematopoietic consensus tyrosine-lacking kinase, HYL. The HYL gene was assigned to chromosome 19 at band p13. It is suggested that HYL plays a significant role in the signal transduction of hematopoietic cells.