Mesoderm posterior protein 2 (MESP2), also known as class C basic helix-loop-helix protein 6 (bHLHc6), is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''MESP2''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
.
Function
This gene encodes a member of the
bHLH family of
transcription factor
In molecular biology, a transcription factor (TF) (or sequence-specific DNA-binding factor) is a protein that controls the rate of transcription (genetics), transcription of genetics, genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, by binding t ...
s and plays a key role in defining the rostrocaudal patterning of
somites via interactions with multiple
Notch signaling pathways. This gene is expressed in the anterior presomitic
mesoderm
The mesoderm is the middle layer of the three germ layers that develops during gastrulation in the very early development of the embryo of most animals. The outer layer is the ectoderm, and the inner layer is the endoderm.Langman's Medical ...
and is downregulated immediately after the formation of segmented somites. This gene also plays a role in the formation of epithelial somitic mesoderm and cardiac mesoderm.
In zebrafish, the homolog mesp-b is critical for dermomyotome development.
Clinical significance
Mutations in the MESP2 gene cause autosomal recessive
Spondylocostal dysostosis type 2.
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
Transcription factors
{{gene-15-stub