| First Author | Thomas T | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | Front Biosci | Volume | 9 |
| Pages | 24-31 | PubMed ID | 14766340 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:88399 | Mgi Id | MGI:3032917 |
| Doi | 10.2741/1208 | Citation | Thomas T, et al. (2004) Querkopf, a histone acetyltransferase, is essential for embryonic neurogenesis. Front Biosci 9:24-31 |
| abstractText | DNA binding transcription factors require the presence of co-activators in order to exert their effects on the pattern of gene expression in a cell. An essential element of co-activator complexes is one or more proteins that have histone acetyltransferase activity. In a gene trap screen for mutations affecting brain development, we identified a member of the MYST family histone acetyltransferases, Querkopf. Querkopf is the mouse homologue of the human protein MORF and both these proteins are closely related to MOZ. Querkopf shows a dynamic pattern of expression in the telencephalon. It is initially expressed strongly in the dorsal telencephalon and then in the ventral telencephalon. This suggests that, unusually for a histone acetyltransferase, part of its activity is regulated at the transcriptional level. Mice carrying a mutation in the querkopf gene have defects in the development of the cerebral cortex. At all stages of fetal development querkopf mutant mice show a reduced number of cells in the cortical plate resulting in a reduction in the size of the adult cortex. The adult cortex in these mice contains less large pyramidal cells and a reduced number of interneurons. In addition Querkopf is also involved in adult neurogenesis. In this short review we examine the role of co-activators of transcription in general and the function of Querkopf in particular. |
