Structure, Expression, and Function of a Novel Intercalated Disc Protein, Xin.

Xin was first cloned using differential mRNA display from the developing chicken heart. Chick Xin (cXin) participates in a BMP-Nkx2.5-MEF2C pathway to regulating cardiac morphogenesis. Through subsequent EST database searches and cDNA cloning, two mouse Xin genes, mXinα and mXinβ were identified and cloned. The human homologue of mXinα (named Cmya1) was mapped to chromosome 3p21.2-p21.3 by radiation hybrid analysis and recently to 3p22.2 by DNA...