Functional importance of evolutionally conserved Tbx6 binding sites in the presomitic mesoderm-specific enhancer ofMesp2

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.027144
• Publication Date: 2008-10-10T20:47:47Z
• Authors: Yukuto Yasuhiko; Satoshi Kitajima; Yu Takahashi; Masayuki Oginuma; Harumi Kagiwada; Jun Kanno; Yumiko Saga
• Keywords: Somitogenesis; Paraxial mesoderm

The T-box transcription factor Tbx6 controls the expression of Mesp2, which encodes a basic helix-loop-helix that has crucial roles in somitogenesis. In cultured cells, binding to Mesp2 enhancer region is essential for activation by Notch signaling. However, it not known whether this required vivo. Here we report an knockout mouse bearing mutations two sites does express presomitic mesoderm. This absence leads impaired skeletal segmentation identical reported Mesp2-null mice, indicating these are indispensable expression. consensus sequences upstream was confirmed chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Further analyses indicated number and spatial organization critical initiating via We also generated knock-in endogenous replaced core medaka mespb, ortholog Mesp2. homozygous viable showed normal segmentation, mespb functionally enhancer. These results demonstrate there significant evolutionary conservation Mesp regulatory mechanisms between fish mice.