The winged helix/forkhead transcription factor Foxq1 regulates differentiation of hair in satin mice

• Published in: Genesis (New York, N.Y. : 2000) Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 163 - 171
• Main Authors: Hong, Hee-Kyung, Noveroske, Janice K., Headon, Denis J., Liu, Tong, Sy, Man-Sun, Justice, Monica J., Chakravarti, Aravinda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.04.2001
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Cell Differentiation; Chromosome Mapping; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6; Cloning, Molecular; DNA-Binding Proteins - physiology; Female; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Foxg1 protein; Foxq1; Gene Expression Regulation; hair differentiation; Hair Follicle - cytology; Hair Follicle - embryology; Hair Follicle - ultrastructure; Humans; Keratins - genetics; Keratins - ultrastructure; Male; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Molecular Sequence Data; Rats; Receptors, Notch; satin; Trans-Activators - physiology; Transcription Factors; winged helix/forkhead transcription factor
• ISSN: 1526-954X; 1526-968X
• DOI: 10.1002/gene.1020

Satin (sa) homozygous mice have a silky coat with high sheen arising from structurally abnormal medulla cells and defects in differentiation of the hair shaft. We demonstrate that the winged helix/forkhead transcription factor, Foxq1 (Forkhead box, subclass q, member 1) is mutant in sa mice. An intragenic deletion was identified in the radiation‐induced satin mutant of the SB/Le inbred strain; a second allele, identified by an N‐ethyl‐N‐nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis screen, has a missense mutation in the conserved winged helix DNA‐binding domain. Homozygous mutants of the two alleles are indistinguishable. We show that Foxq1 is expressed during embryogenesis and exhibits a tissue‐restricted expression pattern in adult tissues. The hair defects appear to be restricted to the inner structures of the hair; consequently, Foxq1 has a unique and distinct function involved in differentiation and development of the hair shaft. Despite an otherwise healthy appearance, satin mice have been reported to exhibit suppressed NK‐cell function and alloimmune cytotoxic T‐cell function. We show instead that the immune defects are attributable to genetic background differences. genesis 29:163–171, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.