title: Evolution of vertebrate E protein transcription factors: comparative analysis of the E protein gene family in Takifugu rubripes and humans.
abstract: E proteins are essential for B lymphocyte development and function, including immunoglobulin (Ig) gene rearrangement and expression. Previous studies of B cells in the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) identified E protein homologs that are capable of binding the muE5 motif and driving a strong transcriptional response. There are three E protein genes in mammals, HEB (TCF12), E2A (TCF3), and E2-2 (TCF4). The major expressed E proteins found in catfish B cells are homologs of HEB and of E2A. Here we sought to define the complete family of E protein genes in a teleost fish, Takifugu rubripes, taking advantage of the completed genome sequence. The catfish CFEB (HEB homolog) sequence identified homologous E-protein-encoding sequences in five scaffolds in the Takifugu genome database. Detailed comparative analysis with the human genome revealed the presence of five E protein homologs in Takifugu. Single genes orthologous to HEB and to E2-2 were identified. In contrast, two members of the E2A gene family were identified in Takifugu; one of these shows the alternative processing of transcripts that identifies it as the ortholog of the E12/E47-encoding mammalian E2A gene, whereas the second Takifugu E2A gene has no predicted alternative splice products. A novel fifth E protein gene (EX) was identified in Takifugu. Phylogenetic analysis revealed four E protein branches among vertebrates: EX, E2A, HEB, and E2-2.
authors.affiliation: Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hikima
authors.forename: Mara L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lennard
authors.forename: Melanie R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Norman W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: L William
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Clem
authors.forename: Gregory W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Warr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002397:Catfishes / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D023741:Takifugu / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D029941:Fish Proteins