title: DUXO, a novel double homeobox transcription factor, is a regulator of the gastrula organizer in human embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Human embryonic stem cells differentiate into gastrula organizer cells that express typical markers and induce secondary axes when injected into frog embryos. Here, we report that these human organizer cells express DUXO (DUX of the Organizer), a novel member of the double-homeobox (DUX) family of transcription factors, a group of genes unique to placental mammals. Both of DUXO's homeodomains share high similarity with those of Siamois and Twin, the initial inducers of the amphibian gastrula organizer. DUXO overexpression in human embryoid bodies induces organizer related genes, whereas its knock down hampers formation of the organizer and its derivatives. Finally, we show that DUXO regulates GOOSECOID, the canonical organizer marker, in a direct manner, suggesting that DUXO is a major regulator of human organizer formation.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Unit, Department of Genetics, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel.
authors.forename: Nadav
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sharon
authors.forename: Ishay
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mor
authors.forename: Eden
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zahavi
authors.forename: Nissim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Benvenisty
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005775:Gastrula / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020897:Organizers, Embryonic / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C581310:DUX4L9 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors