Triad1 was recently identified as a nuclear RING
finger protein, which is up-regulated during retinoic acid
induced granulocytic differentiation of acute leukemia
cells. Here we show that a cysteine-rich domain (C6HC),
present in Triad1, is conserved in at least 24 proteins
encoded by various eukaryotes. The C6HC consensus pattern
C-x(4)-C-x(14–30)-C-x(1–4)-C-x(4)-C-x(2)-C-x(4)-H-x(4)-C
defines this structure as the fourth family member of the
zinc-binding RING, LIM, and LAP/PHD fingers. Strikingly,
in 22 of 24 proteins the C6HC domain is flanked by two
RING finger structures. We have termed the novel C6HC motif
DRIL (double RING finger linked). The strong conservation
of the larger tripartite TRIAD (two RING fingers and DRIL)
structure indicates that the three subdomains are functionally
linked and identifies a novel class of proteins.