title: Expression screening for Lhx3 downstream genes identifies Thg-1pit as a novel mouse gene involved in pituitary development.
abstract: Thg-1pit, a novel mouse gene, was detected in a screen for genes that are differentially expressed in the developing pituitary of wild-type and Lhx3 null mutant embryos. The predicted translation product of the Thg-1pit gene contains a C-terminal TSC-box adjacent to a leucine zipper motif. These features are characteristic for the TSC-22/DIP/bun family of proteins. The onset of prominent Thg-1pit expression coincides with Lhx3 activation at early stages of pituitary development. Expression is further enhanced as cells begin to differentiate within the developing pituitary gland. No expression is observed in the pituitary rudiment of mutants that lack Lhx3 function. A possible role is thus suggested for Lhx3 activities in the regulation of Thg-1pit function during early steps of pituitary organogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development, National Institute of Child Health and Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-2790, USA.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fiorenza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Westphal
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; C094898:Lhx3 protein; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C443111:Spacdr protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors