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Homeotic transformations of the axial skeleton that accompany a targeted deletion of E2f6
Author(s) -
Storre Jörg,
Elsässer HansPeter,
Fuchs Miriam,
Ullmann Diana,
Livingston David M,
Gaubatz Stefan
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1093/embo-reports/kvf141
Subject(s) - homeotic gene , repressor , biology , mutant , transcription (linguistics) , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription factor , genetics , gene , linguistics , philosophy
E2F transcription factors play an important role in regulating mammalian cell proliferation. E2F6, the most recently identified E2F family member, is a transcriptional repressor. In an effort to ascertain the in vivo biological function of E2F6, we have generated an E2f6 mutant mouse strain. Mice lacking E2F6 are viable and healthy. Surprisingly, E2f6 −/− embryonic fibroblasts proliferate normally. However, E2f6 −/− animals display overt homeotic transformations of the axial skeleton that are strikingly similar to the skeletal transformations observed in polycomb mutant mice. This observation is compatible with the recent finding that endogenous E2F6 and one or more mammalian polycomb proteins are components of the same multiprotein complex. The accumulated evidence suggests that, during development, E2F6 participates in the recruitment of polycomb proteins to specific target promoters.