WBSCR14, a gene mapping to the Williams--Beuren syndrome deleted region, is a new member of the Mlx transcription factor network.
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a developmental disorder associated with haploinsufficiency of multiple genes at 7q11.23. Here, we report the functional characterization of WBS critical region gene 14 (WBSCR14), a gene contained in the WBS commonly deleted region. It encodes a basic-helix--loop--helix leucine zipper (bHLHZip) transcription factor of the Myc/Max/Mad superfamily. WBSCR14 is expressed in multiple tissues, including regions of the brain and the intestinal tract. WBSCR14 forms heterodimers with the bHLHZip protein Mlx to bind the DNA sequence CACGTG. Like Max, Mlx has no intrinsic transcriptional activity, but its association with Mad1, Mad4, Mnt or WBSCR14 can repress E-box-dependent transcription. Preliminary results suggest a possible role of WBSCR14 in growth control. Our data support the view that the Max-like bHLHZip protein, Mlx, is a key element of a transcription factor network. We thus suggest that WBSCR14 may contribute to some aspects of the WBS pathology.
Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, San Raffaele Biomedical Science Park, Via Olgettina 58, Milan, Italy.
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Cairo
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Merla
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Urbinati
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Ballabio
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Reymond
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019281:Dimerization; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D018980:Williams Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C403128:MLX protein, human; C116385:MLXIPL protein, human; C506001:Mlxipl protein, mouse; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C501970:Tcfl4 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA