T-box transcription factors are crucial developmental regulators, and they have not previously been associated with SUMOylation. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the Tbx2 subfamily member TBX-2 (T-box protein 2) is required for anterior pharyngeal muscle development. TBX-2 interacts with SUMOylation pathway enzymes, and loss of these enzymes phenocopies tbx-2 mutants. We hypothesize that TBX-2 functions as a SUMOylation-dependent transcriptional repressor. TBX-2 contains two consensus SUMOylation sites conserved in many T-box transcriptional repressors, and we suggest that the function of these T-box factors may similarly involve SUMOylation.
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2007 Biochemical Society
2007
You do not currently have access to this content.