GRHL2 (grainyhead like transcription factor 2)

A mammalian homolog of Drosophila Grainyhead protein, Grainyhead like 2 belongs to the Grainy Head-Like Proteins/CCAAT binding protein, GRH/CP2 family which is conserved from drosophila to mammals (Venkatesan, 2003). In mammals, there are 3 members of the family, GRHL1-3, the expression of which exhibit differential spatiotemporal expression patterns during development and in adult tissues. The GRHL family members are essential developmental transcription factors in epithelial cell morphogenesis/differentiation and in tumorigenesis (Stramer and Martin, 2005; Werth et al., 2010). Although the family members have common molecular and biological functions during development, they rarely exhibit functional redundancy due to different gene targets (Boglev et al., 2011). GRHL2 can act as a tumor-suppressor or oncogene depending upon tissue of expression.