TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of the properties of Sox-3 with Sry and two related genes, Sox-1 and Sox-2
AU - Collignon, Jérôme
AU - Sockanathan, Shanthini
AU - Hacker, Adam
AU - Cohen-Tannoudji, Michel
AU - Norris, Dominic
AU - Rastan, Sohaila
AU - Stevanovic, Milena
AU - Goodfellow, Peter N.
AU - Lovell-Badge, Robin
PY - 1996/2
Y1 - 1996/2
N2 - The Sox gene family consists of a large number of embryonically expressed genes related via the possession of a 79-amino-acid DNA-binding domain known as the HMG box. Partial clones for the first three Sox genes (a1-a3) were isolated by homology to the HMG box of the testis-determining gene Sly and are now termed Sox-1, Sox-2 and Sox-3. Sox-3 is highly conserved amongst mammalian species and is located on the X chromosome. This has led to the proposal that Sry evolved from Sox-3. We present the cloning and sequencing of Sox-1, Sox-2 and Sox-3 from the mouse and show that Sox-3 is most closely related to Sry. We also confirm that mouse Sox-3 is located on the X chromosome between Hprt and Dmd. Analysis of the distribution of Sox-3 RNA shows that its main site of expression is in the developing central nervous system, suggesting a role for Sox-3 in neural development. Moreover, we demonstrate that Sox-3, as well as Sox-1 and Sox-2, are expressed in the urogenital ridge and that their protein products are able to bind the same DNA sequence motif as Sry in vitro, but with different affinities. These observations prompt discussion of an evolutionary link between the genes and support the model that Sry has evolved from Sox-3. However our findings imply that if this is true, then Sry has undergone concomitant changes resulting in loss of CNS expression and altered DNA-binding properties.
AB - The Sox gene family consists of a large number of embryonically expressed genes related via the possession of a 79-amino-acid DNA-binding domain known as the HMG box. Partial clones for the first three Sox genes (a1-a3) were isolated by homology to the HMG box of the testis-determining gene Sly and are now termed Sox-1, Sox-2 and Sox-3. Sox-3 is highly conserved amongst mammalian species and is located on the X chromosome. This has led to the proposal that Sry evolved from Sox-3. We present the cloning and sequencing of Sox-1, Sox-2 and Sox-3 from the mouse and show that Sox-3 is most closely related to Sry. We also confirm that mouse Sox-3 is located on the X chromosome between Hprt and Dmd. Analysis of the distribution of Sox-3 RNA shows that its main site of expression is in the developing central nervous system, suggesting a role for Sox-3 in neural development. Moreover, we demonstrate that Sox-3, as well as Sox-1 and Sox-2, are expressed in the urogenital ridge and that their protein products are able to bind the same DNA sequence motif as Sry in vitro, but with different affinities. These observations prompt discussion of an evolutionary link between the genes and support the model that Sry has evolved from Sox-3. However our findings imply that if this is true, then Sry has undergone concomitant changes resulting in loss of CNS expression and altered DNA-binding properties.
KW - HMG box
KW - Sex determination
KW - Sox genes
KW - Sry
KW - Transcription factor
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M3 - Article
C2 - 8625802
AN - SCOPUS:0030039291
SN - 0950-1991
VL - 122
SP - 509
EP - 520
JO - Development
JF - Development
IS - 2
ER -