Cloning and characterization of CRF, a novel C1q-related factor, expressed in areas of the brain involved in motor function

We have isolated and characterized a novel cDNA, C1q-Related Factor (CRF), that is predicted to encode a 258 amino acid polypeptide with a hydrophobic signal sequence, a collagenous region, and a globular domain at the carboxy terminus that shares homology to the C1q signature domain. Human CRF transcript is expressed at highest levels in the brain, particularly in the brainstem. In situ hybridization to mouse brain sections demonstrated that CRF transcripts are most abundant in areas of the nervous system involved in motor function, such as the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, the accessory olivary nucleus, the pons and the red nucleus. The mouse CRF homolog is highly similar to the human gene at both the nucleotide and protein level, suggesting an important conserved role for this protein.