Abstract
The Gbx family of transcription factors consists of two closely related proteins GBX1 and GBX2. A defining feature of the GBX family is a highly conserved 60 amino acid DNA-binding domain, which differs by just two amino acids. Gbx1 and Gbx2 are co-expressed in several areas of the developing central nervous system including the forebrain, anterior hindbrain, and spinal cord, suggesting the potential for genetic redundancy. However, there is a spatiotemporal difference in expression of Gbx1 and Gbx2 in the forebrain and spinal cord. Gbx2 has been shown to play a critical role in positioning the midbrain/hindbrain boundary and developing anterior hindbrain, whereas gene-targeting experiments in mice have revealed an essential function for Gbx1 in the spinal cord for normal locomotion. To determine if Gbx2 could potentially compensate for a loss of Gbx1 in the developing spinal cord, we performed real-time PCR to examine levels of Gbx2 expression in Gbx1 −/− spinal cord at embryonic day (E) 13.5, a developmental stage when Gbx2 is rapidly downregulated. We demonstrate that Gbx2 expression is elevated in the spinal cord of Gbx1 −/− embryos.
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This work was supported by NSF 1021288.
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Villalon, E., Schulz, D.J., Waters, S.T. (2014). Real-Time PCR Quantification of Gene Expression in Embryonic Mouse Tissue. In: Lewandoski, M. (eds) Mouse Molecular Embryology. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1092. Humana Press, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-292-6_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-292-6_6
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