The BET subfamily of bromodomain-containing genes is characterized by the presence of two bromodomains and a unique ET domain at their carboxyl termini. Here, we show that the founding member of this subfamily, Brd2, is an essential gene by generating a mutant mouse line lacking Brd2 function. Homozygous Brd2 mutants are embryonic lethal, with most Brd2(-/-) embryos dying by embryonic day 11.5. Before death, the homozygous embryos were notably smaller and exhibited abnormalities in the neural tube where the gene is highly expressed. Brd2-deficient embryonic fibroblast cells were observed to proliferate more slowly than controls. Experiments to explore whether placental insufficiency could be a cause of the embryonic lethality showed that injecting diploid mutant embryonic stem cells into tetraploid wild-type blastocysts did not rescue the lethality; that is Brd2-deficient embryos could not be rescued by wild-type extraembryonic tissues. Furthermore, there were enhanced levels of cell death in Brd2-deficient embryos.
Pubmed ID: 19301389 RIS Download
Publication data is provided by the National Library of Medicine ® and PubMed ®. Data is retrieved from PubMed ® on a weekly schedule. For terms and conditions see the National Library of Medicine Terms and Conditions.
Consortium represents all publicly available gene trap cell lines, which are available on non-collaborative basis for nominal handling fees. Researchers can search and browse IGTC database for cell lines of interest using accession numbers or IDs, keywords, sequence data, tissue expression profiles and biological pathways, can find trapped genes of interest on IGTC website, and order cell lines for generation of mutant mice through blastocyst injection. Consortium members include: BayGenomics (USA), Centre for Modelling Human Disease (Toronto, Canada), Embryonic Stem Cell Database (University of Manitoba, Canada), Exchangeable Gene Trap Clones (Kumamoto University, Japan), German Gene Trap Consortium provider (Germany), Sanger Institute Gene Trap Resource (Cambridge, UK), Soriano Lab Gene Trap Resource (Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA), Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine - TIGM (USA), TIGEM-IRBM Gene Trap (Naples, Italy).
View all literature mentions