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Zinc finger CCHC-type containing 18 (ZCCHC18) is a protein that in humans is encoded by ZCCHC18 gene. It is also known as Smad-interacting zinc finger protein 2 (SIZN2), para-neoplastic Ma antigen family member 7b (PNMA7B), and LOC644353. Other name such as zinc finger, CCHC domain containing 12 pseudogene 1 had been used to describe this protein.

Gene
ZCCHC18 gene locates at the long arm of X chromosome, loci position Xq22.2. This gene contains 3 exons and 2 distinct gt-ag introns, being transcribed into 3 alternatively spliced mRNAs. However, only one spliced mRNA (NM_001143978.2, 2951 bp) putatively encodes a 403 amino acid protein, whereas the others does not encode proteins.

Protein
ZCCHC18 is 45,160 Dalton, with basal isoelectric point of 7.02 (unphosphorylated state), and isoelectric point decreased with increased number of residues being phosphorylated. The common sequences of ZCCHC18 include KRED and LVIFM. It is generally electroneutral (there are no positive or negative charge clusters or segments) with no high hydrophobic segments.

Subcellular localization appears to be nuclear speck.

Paralogs
Eight possible paralogs of ZCCHC18 were identified in Homo sapiens.

Note: PNMA4 (aliases: modulator of apoptosis 1, MOAP1) does not appear to be similar to ZCCHC18 (the identity and similarity between ZCCHC18 and MOAP1 are 15% and 32.1%, respectively).

Orthologs
Orthologs of ZCCHC18 can be found in most Chordata (Mammalia, Amphibian, Reptilian, Osteichthyes, but not in Arthropod, Aves, Chondrichthyes), Echinoderm, and Cnidarian but not in Fungus, Plant, Ciliates, Archaea, nor Bacteria.

Function
Although the exact function of ZCCHC18 is still not fully known, the basic amino acid sequence of the zinc finger (Znf) CCHC-type protein can be well characterized as conservatively spaced cysteine and histidine. The Cys and His residues is completely conserved at position 1 (Cys), 4 (Cys), 9 (His), and 14 (Cys) [as the first Cys of the sequence labeled as Cys (1)]. Conservatively substituted glycines occur at position 5 and 8, and aromatic or hydrophobic amino acids are at positions 2 (or 3) and 10. This motif is often expressed as Cys-X2-Cys-X4-His-X4-Cys.

The structure of zinc finger domains enables the protein to make tandem contact with target molecules through multiple finger-like protrusions. These domains can bind to zinc or other metals such as iron, or even no metal (stabilizing through salt bridges). The exact mechanism for how the Znf domain of ZCCHC18 work is still unknown.

Interacting proteins
ZCCHC18 can can possibly interact with EGFR. This report was based on the two protein-protein interaction (PPI) approaches, the membrane yeast two-hybrid (MYTH) and the mammalian membrane two-hybrid (MMTH), to map the PPIs between human receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and phosphatases by Yao et al.

Genetic Testing
Currently, Fulgent Genetics is the only commercial company provides the genetic testing for deletion or duplication of ZCCHC18 through sequence analysis of the entire coding region (Next-Generation Sequencing) for possible diseases caused by mutations on this particular gene that are inherited from a parent's genome. However, the clinical validity and utility have not been proven yet.