title: Primary structure, neural-specific expression, and chromosomal localization of Cux-2, a second murine homeobox gene related to Drosophila cut.
abstract: The cut locus of Drosophila encodes a diverged homeodomain-containing protein that is required for the development of external sensory (es) organs and other tissues. A homologous gene (Cux-1) that encodes a transcriptional repressor has been identified in the mouse and other mammals. We have identified a second murine homeobox-containing gene (designated Cux-2) that is structurally related to Drosophila cut. The murine Cux-2 homeobox was similar to Drosophila cut and encoded a homeodomain that contained a characteristic histidine residue at position 50. The predicted Cux-2 protein contained 1426 amino acids and included three internal 60-amino acid repeats (Cut repeats) that were previously found in Drosophila Cut and murine Cux-1. Unlike Cux-1, expression of Cux-2 was restricted to neural tissue. In the adult brain, Cux-2 was prominently expressed in neurons in the thalamus and limbic system. In embryos, Cux-2 was expressed in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems, including the telencephalon and peripheral ganglia of the trigeminal and glossopharyngeal nerves. A glutathione S-transferase fusion protein containing the carboxyl-terminal Cut repeat and homeodomain of Cux-2 exhibited sequence-specific binding to oligonucleotides derived from the promoter of the Ncam gene. Using an interspecific backcross panel, Cux-1 and Cux-2 were mapped to distinct loci that were genetically linked on distal chromosome 5. These results demonstrate that a family of homeobox genes related to Drosophila cut is located on chromosome 5 in the mouse. Cux-2 is expressed exclusively in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and the Cux-2 gene product binds to DNA in a sequence-specific manner. Cux-2 may encode a transcription factor that is involved in neural specification in mammals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Quaggin
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Heuvel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bodmer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Igarashi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D004330:Drosophila; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051381:Rats; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: C101672:Cux2 protein, mouse; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D004247:DNA