VCY - variable charge Y-linked Gene

The protein encoded by this gene is a member of a family of human VCX/Y genes. This gene family has multiple members on both X and Y chromosomes, and all are expressed exclusively in male germ cells. Members of the VCX/Y family share a high degree of sequence identity, with the exception that a 30-bp unit is tandemly repeated in X-linked members but occurs only once in Y-linked members. VCX/Y genes encode small and highly charged proteins of unknown function. This gene encodes a small, positively charged protein. The presence of a putative bipartite nuclear localization signal suggests that this gene encodes a nuclear protein. The genome has two identical copies of this gene within a palindromic region; this record represents the more centromeric copy. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]