14-3-3 proteins are ubiquitously expressed proteins which serve as central adaptors in different signal transduction cascades. In this study, yeast two-hybrid screening of a rat brain cDNA library identified a novel gene product termed zetin 1/rBSPRY that interacts with 14-3-3zeta. The zetin 1/rBSPRY gene is ubiquitously expressed in a variety of rat tissues, with highest expression being found in testis. In adult brain, high levels of zetin 1/rBSPRY mRNA were observed in the hippocampus, cereberal cortex, and piriform cortex. Biochemical studies confirmed zetin 1/rBSPRY to interact with 14-3-3zeta. Transient co-transfection in COS 7 cells caused a partial redistribution of zetin 1/rBSPRY into 14-3-3zeta enriched submembranous foci at leading edges. Our results suggest a role for zetin 1/rBSPRY-14-3-3 interactions at specialized submembrane domains. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.