Cloning, genomic organization, and tissue-specific expression of the RASL11B gene

RASL11B is a member of the small GTPase protein family with a high degree of similarity to RAS proteins. Cloning of RASL11B mRNA and in silico analyses revealed that the human RASL11B gene spans about 4.5 kb and comprises four exons on chromosomal locus 4q12. The proximal 5′-flanking region of the gene lacks a TATA box but is GC-rich and contains a CCAAT box and several Sp1 sites. Consistent with this, the RASL11B gene was found to be expressed in all tissues investigated, with highest levels in placenta and in primary macrophages. The predicted RASL11B protein has no typical prenylation signal, indicating that it is probably not anchored to cellular membranes. RASL11B was induced during maturation of THP-1 monocytic cells into macrophage-like cells and in coronary artery smooth muscle cells after treatment with TGF-β1. These results indicate that RASL11B may play a role in TGF-β1-mediated developmental processes and in pathophysiologies such as inflammation, cancer, and arteriosclerosis.