VRTN is Required for the Development of Thoracic Vertebrae in Mammals.

ABSTRACT: Vertnin (VRTN) variants are associated with thoracic vertebral number (TVN) in pigs. However, the biological function of VRTN remains poorly understood. Here we first conducted a range of experiments to demonstrate that VRTN is a responsible gene for TVN and two causative variants in the regulatory region of VRTN additively regulate TVN. Then, we show that VRTN is a novel DNA-binding transcription factor as it localizes exclusively in the nucleus, binds to DNA on a genome-wide scale and regulates the transcription of a set of genes that harbor VRTN binding motifs. Next, we illustrate that VRTN is essential for the development of thoracic vertebrae. Vrtn-null embryos display somitogenesis defect with the failure of axial rotation and fewer somites a

SUBMITTER: Duan Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6001657 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature