title: Identification and characterization of members of the FKHR (FOX O) subclass of winged-helix transcription factors in the mouse.
abstract: Genetic alterations of FKHR (FOXO1), AF6q21 (FOXO2), and AFX (FOXO4), closely related members of the forkhead family of DNA binding proteins, in human cancers has suggested they play a role in the regulation of cellular differentiation or proliferation. In order to elucidate the function of this gene subfamily during mammalian development, we have identified and characterized three novel mouse genes; Fkhr1 (Foxo1), Fkhr2 (Foxo3), and Afxh (Foxo4), which are closely related to the human FKHR (Foxo1), AF6q21 (FOXO2), and AFX (FOXO4) genes, respectively. The genes are each expressed both during development and in the adult with distinct patterns ranging from ubiquitous [Fkhr2 (Foxo3)] to tissue-specific [Afxh (Foxo4)]. Selection of high-affinity DNA-binding sites from a pool of degenerate oligonucleotides demonstrated that the proteins encoded by these genes recognize a core sequence [(T/A) (A/T) A A C A] similar to that recognized by other forkhead domain-containing proteins. We have also identified additional FKHR-related genes expressed during development in both the chick and zebrafish. Further characterization will provide insight into the roles of members of the FKHR subfamily of forkhead-related genes during both normal and neoplastic development.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, La Jolla, California 92093-0660, USA.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Biggs
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Cavenee
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Arden
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C085126:FOXO1 protein, human; C108803:FOXO4 protein, human; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C525394:FoxO4 protein, mouse; C467200:Foxo1 protein, mouse; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D005982:Glutathione Transferase