Open AccessA human POU domain gene, mPOU , is expressed in developing brain and specific adult tissues
Author(s) -
WEY Eva,
LYONS Gary E.,
SCHÄFER Beat W.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1994.tb18676.x
Subject(s) - pou domain , biology , gene , transcription factor , cerebellum , olfactory bulb , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , homeobox , central nervous system
POU domain genes constitute a family of transcription factors that exhibit distinct temporal and spatial patterns of expression. To investigate the possible functions that POU proteins may have in muscle development we have isolated four novel POU‐domain‐encoding sequences from human muscle tissue. One of these sequences, referred to as mPOU , encodes a new member of subclass VI of the POU family. In the embryo, mPOU is expressed exclusively in the developing brain, whereas in the adult its expression is restricted to brain, heart, skeletal muscle and lung. In the brain, the highest expression levels were found in specific cell layers of the cortex, the olfactory bulb, the hippocampus and the cerebellum. mPOU is shown to bind to DNA sequences containing the octamer motif and other POU factor target sites. The distinct expression pattern and divergent DNA‐binding characteristics indicate that mPOU may regulate a distinct set of genes.