GATA transcription factors mediate processes of development, differentiation, and gene expression in multiple tissues and cell types. Vertebrate GATA factors have two highly conserved zinc finger motifs and recognise a six-nucleotide motif T/AGATAG/A in target genes. They are separated into two subfamilies: 1) GATA1, GATA2, and GATA3 and 2) GATA4, GATA5, and GATA6. Members of the GATA1/2/3 subfamily are expressed in developing blood cells, where they regulate differentiation-specific gene expression in hematopoiesis []. This entry represents the GATA2 and GATA3.
This entry represents the FOG (Friend of GATA) family, whose members are zinc finger cofactors that regulate GATA factor-activated gene transcription. There are two FOG proteins in mammals, FOG1 and FOG2. They are essential cofactors that act via the formation of a heterodimer with transcription factors of the GATA family GATA1, GATA2 and GATA3 []. In mice, FOG1 is expressed predominantly within the hematopoietic system, while FOG2 is expressed outside of blood, mostly in heart, brain, gonads, and liver [].This entry also includes the FOG homologue from fruit flies, U-shaped (Ush), which is expressed in circulating and lymph gland hemocytes, where it plays a critical role in controlling blood cell proliferation and differentiation [].
