The oncofetal gene Pem encodes a homeodomain and is regulated in primordial and pre-muscle stem cells.
The oncofetal gene, Pem, is expressed in a stage specific manner during murine ontogeny. The carboxy terminal portion of the predicted Pem protein has significant similarity to homeodomains of the Drosophila prd family. The Pem gene is expressed in undifferentiated embryonal stem (ES) and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell lines. Pem mRNA is induced 35-fold in ES cells differentiated in the absence of retinoic acid. Pem mRNA is increased in EC cells differentiated towards parietal or visceral endoderm, consistent with the abundant Pem expression in embryonic yolk sac. In 10T mesenchymal stem cells committed to muscle cell differentiation, Pem mRNA expression is dramatically increased. The elevation in Pem expression preceded the induction of the muscle master regulatory gene, myoD. We conclude that the Pem gene encodes a candidate transcription factor which is developmentally regulated.
Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU), Vollum Institute and Microbiology & Immunology Department, Portland, OR 97201.
A W
AW
Sasaki
J
J
Doskow
C L
CL
MacLeod
M B
MB
Rogers
L J
LJ
Gudas
M F
MF
Wilkinson
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000235:genetics*; D005809:Genes, Regulator / Q000235:genetics*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017570:MyoD Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D009124:Muscle Proteins; D017570:MyoD Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors