Synovial Sarcoma, X Breakpoint 8 (SSX8)

By searching EST databases for sequences similar to SSX, and by screening a placenta genomic library, Gure et al. (2002) identified several SSX genes, including SSX8. The deduced 142-amino acid protein contains an N-terminal KRAB domain, but lacks a C-terminal transcription repression domain found in other SSX proteins.

Gure et al. (2002) found that all of the SSX genes contain 10 exons, of which only 8 are utilized, and all span 8 to 10 kb. The open reading frame is contained between exons 2 and 9.

By genomic sequence analysis, Gure et al. (2002) determined that the SSX8 gene lies within a duplicated cluster of SSX genes and pseudogenes on chromosome Xp11.4.