The characterization of the Olf-1/EBF-like HLH transcription factor family: implications in olfactory gene regulation and neuronal development.
The Olf-1/EBF helix-loop-helix (HLH) transcription factor has been implicated in olfactory gene regulation and in B-cell development. Using homology screening methods, we identified two additional Olf-1/EBF-like cDNAs from a mouse embryonic cDNA library. The Olf-1/EBF-like (O/E) proteins O/E-1, O/E-2, and O/E-3 define a family of transcription factors that share structural similarities and biochemical activities. Although these O/E genes are expressed within olfactory epithelium in an identical pattern, they exhibit different patterns of expression in the developing nervous system. Although O/E-1 mRNA is present in several tissues in addition to olfactory neurons and developing B-cells, O/E-2 and O/E-3 are expressed at high levels only in olfactory tissue. In O/E-1 knock-out animals, the presence of two additional O/E family members in olfactory neurons may provide redundancy and allow normal olfactory neurodevelopment. Further, the identification of the O/E family of HLH transcription factors and their embryonic expression patterns suggest that the O/E proteins may have a more general function in neuronal development.
Wang
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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Tsai
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Reed
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D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019281:Dimerization; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D015723:Gene Library; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology; D008322:Mammals; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D014162:Transfection
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; C081976:EBF1 protein, human; C489923:EBF2 protein, human; C489921:Ebf1 protein, mouse