PAX6
Available structures PDB Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB List of PDB id codes 2CUE, 6PAX
Identifiers
Aliases	PAX6, AN, AN2, D11S812E, FVH1, MGDA, WAGR, paired box 6, ASGD5
External IDs	OMIM: 607108 MGI: 97490 HomoloGene: 1212 GeneCards: PAX6
Gene location (Human) Chr. Chromosome 11 (human)[1] Band 11p13 Start 31,784,779 bp[1] End 31,818,062 bp[1]
Gene location (Mouse) Chr. Chromosome 2 (mouse)[2] Band 2 E3|2 55.31 cM Start 105,499,245 bp[2] End 105,527,709 bp[2]
RNA expression pattern Bgee Human Mouse (ortholog) Top expressed in palpebral conjunctiva ganglionic eminence cerebellar vermis pons external globus pallidus Region I of hippocampus proper middle frontal gyrus retinal pigment epithelium entorhinal cortex putamen Top expressed in corneal stroma lens corneal epithelium iris islet of Langerhans ciliary body conjunctival fornix lacrimal gland cerebellar cortex optic vesicle More reference expression data BioGPS More reference expression data
Gene ontology Molecular function protein binding DNA binding sequence-specific DNA binding ubiquitin-protein transferase activity DNA-binding transcription activator activity, RNA polymerase II-specific DNA-binding transcription repressor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific chromatin binding DNA-binding transcription factor activity transcription factor binding protein kinase binding ubiquitin protein ligase binding histone acetyltransferase binding co-SMAD binding R-SMAD binding HMG box domain binding RNA polymerase II cis-regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding RNA polymerase II core promoter sequence-specific DNA binding DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific Cellular component cytoplasm nucleus nucleoplasm cytosol intracellular anatomical structure Biological process eye development blood vessel development animal organ morphogenesis regulation of transcription, DNA-templated glucose homeostasis transcription, DNA-templated central nervous system development response to wounding cell differentiation cornea development in camera-type eye negative regulation of neurogenesis visual perception iris morphogenesis multicellular organism development neuron fate commitment protein ubiquitination negative regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II establishment of mitotic spindle orientation cell fate determination neuron migration negative regulation of protein phosphorylation positive regulation of neuroblast proliferation lens development in camera-type eye regionalization type B pancreatic cell differentiation pancreatic A cell development regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II transcription by RNA polymerase II smoothened signaling pathway axonogenesis axon guidance brain development salivary gland morphogenesis negative regulation of cell population proliferation regulation of asymmetric cell division dorsal/ventral axis specification anterior/posterior pattern specification dorsal/ventral pattern formation regulation of gene expression positive regulation of gene expression pallium development oligodendrocyte cell fate specification cerebral cortex regionalization forebrain dorsal/ventral pattern formation commitment of neuronal cell to specific neuron type in forebrain forebrain-midbrain boundary formation telencephalon regionalization pituitary gland development habenula development signal transduction involved in regulation of gene expression keratinocyte differentiation regulation of cell migration positive regulation of epithelial cell differentiation forebrain development lacrimal gland development protein localization to organelle eye photoreceptor cell development camera-type eye development cell fate commitment negative regulation of neuron differentiation positive regulation of transcription, DNA-templated positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II regulation of timing of cell differentiation embryonic camera-type eye morphogenesis astrocyte differentiation negative regulation of epithelial cell proliferation regulation of neurogenesis retina development in camera-type eye cellular response to leukemia inhibitory factor negative regulation of neural precursor cell proliferation positive regulation of core promoter binding Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs Species Human Mouse Entrez 5080 18508 Ensembl ENSG00000007372 ENSMUSG00000027168 UniProt P26367 P63015 RefSeq (mRNA) NM_000280 NM_001127612 NM_001258462 NM_001258463 NM_001258464 NM_001258465 NM_001310158 NM_001310159 NM_001310160 NM_001310161 NM_001604 NM_001244198 NM_001244200 NM_001244201 NM_001244202 NM_013627 NM_001310144 NM_001310145 NM_001310146 RefSeq (protein) NP_000271 NP_001121084 NP_001245391 NP_001245392 NP_001245393 NP_001245394 NP_001297087 NP_001297088 NP_001297089 NP_001297090 NP_001595 NP_001355816 NP_001355817 NP_001355818 NP_001355819 NP_001355820 NP_001355821 NP_001355822 NP_001355823 NP_001355828 NP_001355829 NP_001355830 NP_001355831 NP_001355832 NP_001355833 NP_001355834 NP_001355835 NP_001355836 NP_001355837 NP_001355838 NP_001355839 NP_001355840 NP_001355841 NP_001355842 NP_001355843 NP_001355844 NP_001355845 NP_001355846 NP_001355847 NP_001355848 NP_001355849 NP_001355850 NP_001355851 NP_001355852 NP_001355853 NP_001355854 NP_001355855 NP_001355856 NP_001355857 NP_001355858 NP_001355859 NP_001231127 NP_001231129 NP_001231130 NP_001231131 NP_001297073 NP_001297074 NP_001297075 NP_038655 Location (UCSC) Chr 11: 31.78 – 31.82 Mb Chr 2: 105.5 – 105.53 Mb PubMed search [3] [4]
Wikidata
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Paired box protein Pax-6, also known as aniridia type II protein (AN2) or oculorhombin, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PAX6 gene.^[5]

Function

Fruitflies lacking the PAX6 gene have no eyes

PAX6 is a member of the Pax gene family which is responsible for carrying the genetic information that will encode the Pax-6 protein. It acts as a "master control" gene for the development of eyes and other sensory organs, certain neural and epidermal tissues as well as other homologous structures, usually derived from ectodermal tissues. However, it has been recognized that a suite of genes is necessary for eye development, and therefore the term of "master control" gene may be inaccurate.^[6] Pax-6 is expressed as a transcription factor when neural ectoderm receives a combination of weak Sonic hedgehog (SHH) and strong TGF-Beta signaling gradients. Expression is first seen in the forebrain, hindbrain, head ectoderm and spinal cord followed by later expression in midbrain. This transcription factor is most noted for its use in the interspecifically induced expression of ectopic eyes and is of medical importance because heterozygous mutants produce a wide spectrum of ocular defects such as aniridia in humans.^[7]

Pax6 serves as a regulator in the coordination and pattern formation required for differentiation and proliferation to successfully take place, ensuring that the processes of neurogenesis and oculogenesis are carried out successfully. As a transcription factor, Pax6 acts at the molecular level in the signaling and formation of the central nervous system. The characteristic paired DNA binding domain of Pax6 utilizes two DNA-binding domains, the paired domain (PD), and the paired-type homeodomain (HD). These domains function separately via utilization by Pax6 to carry out molecular signaling that regulates specific functions of Pax6. An example of this lies in HD's regulatory involvement in the formation of the lens and retina throughout oculogenesis contrasted by the molecular mechanisms of control exhibited on the patterns of neurogenesis in brain development by PD. The HD and PD domains act in close coordination, giving Pax6 its multifunctional nature in directing molecular signaling in formation of the CNS. Although many functions of Pax6 are known, the molecular mechanisms of these functions remain largely unresolved.^[8] High-throughput studies uncovered many new target genes of the Pax6 transcription factors during lens development.^[9] They include the transcriptional activator BCL9, recently identified, together with Pygo2, to be downstream effectors of Pax6 functions.^[10]

Species distribution

Pax6 alterations result in similar phenotypic alterations of eye morphology and function across a wide range of species.

PAX6 protein function is highly conserved across bilaterian species. For instance, mouse PAX6 can trigger eye development in Drosophila melanogaster. Additionally, mouse and human PAX6 have identical amino acid sequences.^[11]

Genomic organisation of the PAX6 locus varies among species, including the number and distribution of exons, cis-regulatory elements, and transcription start sites,^[12][13] although most elements at the Vertebrata clade do line up with each other.^[14][15] The first work on genomic organisation was performed in quail, but the picture of the mouse locus is the most complete to date. This consists of 3 confirmed promoters (P0, P1, Pα), 16 exons, and at least 6 enhancers. The 16 confirmed exons are numbered 0 through 13 with the additions of exon α located between exons 4 and 5, and the alternatively spliced exon 5a. Each promoter is associated with its own proximal exon (exon 0 for P0, exon 1 for P1) resulting in transcripts which are alternatively spliced in the 5' un-translated region.^[16] By convention, exon for orthologs from other species are named relative to the human/mouse numbering, as long as the organization is reasonably well-conserved.^[15]

Of the four Drosophila Pax6 orthologues, it is thought that the eyeless (ey) and twin of eyeless (toy) gene products share functional homology with the vertebrate canonical Pax6 isoform, while the eyegone (eyg) and twin of eyegone (toe) gene products share functional homology with the vertebrate Pax6(5a) isoform. Eyeless and eyegone were named for their respective mutant phenotypes. These paralogs also play a role in the development in the entire eye-antennal disc, and consequently in head formation.^[17] toy positively regulates ey expression.^[18]

Isoforms

The vertebrate PAX6 locus encodes at least three different protein isoforms, these being the canonical PAX6, PAX6(5a), and PAX6(ΔPD). The canonical PAX6 protein contains an N-terminal paired domain, connected by a linker region to a paired-type homeodomain, and a proline/serine/threonine (P/S/T)-rich C-terminal domain. The paired domain and paired-type homeodomain each have DNA binding activities, while the P/S/T-rich domain possesses a transactivation function. PAX6(5a) is a product of the alternatively spliced exon 5a resulting in a 14 residue insertion in the paired domain which alters the specificity of this DNA binding activity. The nucleotide sequence corresponding to the linker region encodes a set of three alternative translation start codons from which the third PAX6 isoform originates. Collectively known as the PAX6(ΔPD) or pairedless isoforms, these three gene products all lack a paired domain. The pairedless proteins possess molecular weights of 43, 33, or 32kDa, depending on the particular start codon used. PAX6 transactivation function is attributed to the variable length C-terminal P/S/T-rich domain which stretches to 153 residues in human and mouse proteins.

Clinical significance

Experiments in mice demonstrate that a deficiency in Pax-6 leads to decrease in brain size, brain structure abnormality leading to Autism, lack of iris formation or a thin cornea. Knockout experiments produced eyeless phenotypes reinforcing indications of the gene's role in eye development.^[7]

Mutations

During embryological development the PAX6 gene, found on chromosome 2 in mice, can be seen expressed in multiple early structures such as the spinal cord, hindbrain, forebrain and eyes.^[19] Mutations of the PAX6 gene in mammalian species can produce a drastic effect on the phenotype of the organism. This can be seen in mice that contain homozygous mutations of the 422 amino acid long transcription factor encoded by PAX6 in which they do not develop eyes or nasal cavities termed ‘small eye’ mice (PAX10^sey/sey).^[19][20] Deletion of PAX6 induces the same abnormal phenotypes indicating that mutations cause the protein to lose functionality. PAX6 is essential is the formation of the retina, lens and cornea due to its role in early cell determination when forming precursors of these structures such as the optic vesicle and overlying surface ectoderm.^[20] PAX10 mutations also hinder nasal cavity development due to the similar precursor structures that in small eye mice do not express PAX10 mRNA.^[21] Mice lacking any functional pax6 begin to be phenotypically differentiable from normal mouse embryos at about day 9 to 10 of gestation.^[22] The full elucidation of the precise mechanisms and molecular components by which the PAX6 gene influences eye, nasal and central nervous system development are still researched however, the study of PAX6 has brought more understanding to the development and genetic complexities of these mammalian body systems.

See also

• Aniridia
• Gillespie syndrome

References

Further reading

External links

• PAX6+protein at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
• GeneReviews/NCBI/NIH/UW entry on Anophthalmia / Microphthalmia Overview
• GeneReviews/NCBI/NIH/UW entry on Aniridia
• OMIM entries on Aniridia
• Gene Expression Patterns from the Allen Brain Atlases
• Overview of all the structural information available in the PDB for UniProt: P26367 (Paired box protein Pax-6) at the PDBe-KB.