title: Transcription factor Sp1 is essential for early embryonic development but dispensable for cell growth and differentiation.
abstract: Transcription factor Sp1 has been implicated in the expression of many genes. Moreover, it has been suggested that Sp1 is linked to the maintenance of methylation-free CpG islands, the cell cycle, and the formation of active chromatin structures. We have inactivated the mouse Sp1 gene. Sp1-/- embryos are retarded in development, show a broad range of abnormalities, and die around day 11 of gestation. In Sp1-/- embryos, the expression of many putative target genes, including cell cycle-regulated genes, is not affected, CpG islands remain methylation free, and active chromatin is formed at the globin loci. However, the expression of the methyl-CpG-binding protein MeCP2 is greatly reduced in Sp1-/- embryos. MeCP2 is thought to be required for the maintenance of differentiated cells. We suggest that Sp1 is an important regulator of this process.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus University Rotterdam, Department of Cell Biology, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grosveld
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Philipsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002678:Chimera; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018390:Gene Targeting; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011247:Pregnancy; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor