FOX proteins
The forkhead box proteins ( FOX) are proteins in eukaryotes, which attach to the cell nucleus to specific sites on DNA and thereby influence the transcription of genes (called transcription factors). In such a way to regulate important functions such as proliferation, differentiation and cell life. Many FOX proteins play an important role in embryonic development.
The group of the FOX- proteins is characterized by a monomeric DNA binding domain, consisting of about 100 amino acids. The DNA binding domain consists of a variant of the helix-turn- helix motif, which consists of three helices and two characteristic large loops, which is therefore also called winged helix DNA-binding domain.
The DNA - binding domain of the FOX proteins has hardly changed in the course of evolution, hence the nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding them have remained the same and it is called the corresponding gene segment of a forkhead box.
History
The first protein of the forkhead family, which has been described, was discovered by Detlef Weigel and Herbert Jaeckle Drosophila transcription factor forkhead. The name derives from the forked (English fork = " fork " ) Change of the head ( engl. head = " head "), which arises when Drosophila embryos lacking the forkhead gene.
Since then, a large number of FOX proteins was specifically detected in vertebrates. Originally very different titles were awarded for this, such as HFH, FREAC and fkh. In 2000, a uniform nomenclature has been agreed, in which these proteins were divided into subclasses of FOXA to FOXR.
Previously known forkhead box proteins
- FOXA1, FOXA2, FOXA3
- FOXB1, FOXB2
- FOXC1, FOXC2
- FOXD1, FOXD2, FOXD3, FOXD4, FOXD5, FOXPD6
- FOXE1, FOXE2, FOXE3
- FOXF1, FOXF2
- FOXG1
- FOXH1
- FOXI1, FOXI2
- FOXJ1, FOXJ2, FOXJ3
- FOXK1, FOXK2
- FOXL1, FOXL2
- FOXM1
- FOXN1, FOXN2, FOXN3, FOXN4
- FOXO1, FOXO2, FOXO3, FOXO4
- FOXP1, FOXP2, FOXP3, FOXP4
- FOXQ1
- FOXR1, FOXR2