C-type lectin domain family 4 member M is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CLEC4M gene. CLEC4M has also been designated as CD299 (cluster of differentiation 299).
This gene encodes L-SIGN (liver/lymph node-specific intracellular adhesion molecules-3 grabbing non-integrin), a type II integral membrane protein that is 77% identical to CD209 antigen, an HIV gp120-binding protein. This protein, like CD209, efficiently binds both intercellular adhesion molecule 3 (ICAM3) and HIV-1 gp120, and enhances HIV-1 infection of T cells. This gene is mapped to 19p13.3, in a cluster with the CD209 and CD23/FCER2 genes. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants have been found for this gene, but the biological validity of some variants has not been determined.
The Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) is an organization involved in the Human Genome Project, a project about mapping the human genome. HUGO was established in 1989 as an international organization, primarily to foster collaboration between genome scientists around the world. The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC), sometimes referred to as "HUGO", is one of HUGO's most active committees and aims to assign a unique gene name and symbol to each human gene.
HUGO was established in late April 1988 at the first meeting dedicated to genome mapping at Cold Spring Harbor. The idea of starting the organization stemmed from a South African biologist by the name of Sydney Brenner, who is known for his significant contributions to work on the genetic code and other areas of molecular biology, as well as winning the Nobel prize in Physiology of Medicine in 2002. A Founding Council was elected at the meeting that total 42 scientists from 17 different countries. HUGO is grounded in Geneva Switzerland, and later went on to elect an additional 178 members, bringing the total up to 220.