Bovine Lhx8, a Germ Cell-Specific Nuclear Factor, Interacts with Figla.

ABSTRACT: LIM homeobox 8 (Lhx8) is a germ cell-specific transcription factor essential for the development of oocytes during early oogenesis. In mice, Lhx8 deficiency causes postnatal oocyte loss and affects the expression of many oocyte-specific genes. The aims of this study were to characterize the bovine Lhx8 gene, determine its mRNA expression during oocyte development and early embryogenesis, and evaluate its interactions with other oocyte-specific transcription factors. The bovine Lhx8 gene encodes a protein of 377 amino acids. A splice variant of Lhx8 (Lhx8_v1) was also identified. The predicted bovine Lhx8 protein contains two LIM domains and one homeobox domain. However, one of the LIM domains in Lhx8_v1 is incomplete due to deletion of 83 amino acids near the N terminus. Both Lhx8 and Lhx8

SUBMITTER: Fu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5055334 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature