Short-stature homeobox 2, also known as homeobox protein Og12X or paired-related homeobox protein SHOT, is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''SHOX2''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
Function
SHOX2 is a member of the
homeobox
A homeobox is a DNA sequence, around 180 base pairs long, that regulates large-scale anatomical features in the early stages of embryonic development. For instance, mutations in a homeobox may change large-scale anatomical features of the full- ...
family of genes that encode proteins containing a 60-amino acid residue motif that represents a
DNA-binding domain
A DNA-binding domain (DBD) is an independently folded protein domain that contains at least one structural motif that recognizes double- or single-stranded DNA. A DBD can recognize a specific DNA sequence (a recognition sequence) or have a genera ...
. Homeobox proteins have been characterized extensively as transcriptional regulators involved in
pattern formation
The science of pattern formation deals with the visible, ( statistically) orderly outcomes of self-organization and the common principles behind similar patterns in nature.
In developmental biology, pattern formation refers to the generation of ...
in both invertebrate and vertebrate species.
Clinical significance
Several human genetic disorders are caused by aberrations in human homeobox genes. This locus represents a pseudoautosomal homeobox gene that is thought to be responsible for idiopathic short stature, and it is implicated in the short stature phenotype of
Turner syndrome
Turner syndrome (TS), also known as 45,X, or 45,X0, is a genetic condition in which a female is partially or completely missing an X chromosome. Signs and symptoms vary among those affected. Often, a short and webbed neck, low-set ears, low hair ...
patients. This gene is considered to be a candidate gene for
Cornelia de Lange syndrome
Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a genetic disorder. People with this syndrome experience a range of physical, cognitive, and medical challenges ranging from mild to severe. The syndrome has a widely varied phenotype, meaning people with the sy ...
.
SHOX2 localises on chromosome 3, so it is an autosomal and not a pseudoautosomal homeobox (SHOX, which localises on the PAR1 region of chromosome X and Y, has a pseudoautosomal hereditability).
References
Further reading
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{{Transcription factors, g3
Transcription factors