English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Btg1 and Btg2 encode highly homologous proteins that are broadly expressed in different cell lineages, and have been implicated in different types of cancer. Btg1 and Btg2 have been shown to modulate the function of different transcriptional regulators, including Hox and Smad transcription factors. In this study, we examined the  in vivo  role of the mouse  Btg1  and  Btg2  genes in specifying the regional identity of the axial skeleton. Therefore, we examined the phenotype of  Btg1  and  Btg2  single knockout mice, as well as novel generated  Btg1   -/- ; Btg2   -/-  double knockout mice, which were viable, but displayed a non-mendelian inheritance and smaller litter size. We observed both unique and overlapping phenotypes reminiscent of homeotic transformation along the anterior-posterior axis in the single and combined  Btg1  and  Btg2  knockout animals. Both  Btg1   -/-  and  Btg2   -/-  mice displayed partial posterior transformation of the seventh cervical vertebra, which was more pronounced in  Btg1   -/- ; Btg2   -/-  mice, demonstrating that Btg1 and Btg2 act in synergy. Loss of  Btg2 , but not  Btg1 , was sufficient for complete posterior transformation of the thirteenth thoracic vertebra to the first lumbar vertebra. Moreover,  Btg2   -/-  animals displayed complete posterior transformation of the sixth lumbar vertebra to the first sacral vertebra, which was only partially present at a low frequency in  Btg1   -/-  mice. The  Btg1   -/- ; Btg2   -/-  animals showed an even stronger phenotype, with L5 to S1 transformation. Together, these data show that both  Btg1  and  Btg2  are required for normal vertebral patterning of the axial skeleton, but each gene contributes differently in specifying the identity along the anterior-posterior axis of the skeleton.

Targeted Deletion of Btg1 and Btg2 Results in Homeotic Transformation of the Axial Skeleton