Identification of Putative Target Genes of the Transcription Factor RUNX2

Authors:
M Kuhlwilm, A Davierwala, S Pääbo
In:
Source: PLoS ONE
Publication Date: (2013)
Issue: 8 (12): e83218
Research Area:
Gene Expression
Basic Research
Cells used in publication:
Hep G2
Species: human
Tissue Origin: liver
SK-N-SH
Species: human
Tissue Origin: brain
SH-SY5Y
Species: human
Tissue Origin: brain
U-2 OS
Species: human
Tissue Origin: bone
Saos-2
Species: human
Tissue Origin: bone
U-87 MG
Species: human
Tissue Origin: brain
HeLa S3
Species: human
Tissue Origin: cervix
IMR-32
Species: human
Tissue Origin: brain
ACHN
Species: human
Tissue Origin: kidney
Platform:
Nucleofector® I/II/2b
Experiment


Abstract

Comparisons of the genomes of Neandertals and Denisovans with present-day human genomes have suggested that the gene RUNX2, which encodes a transcription factor, may have been positively selected during early human evolution. Here, we overexpress RUNX2 in ten human cell lines and identify genes that are directly or indirectly affected by RUNX2 expression. We find a number of genes not previously known to be affected by RUNX2 expression, in particular BIRC3, genes encoded on the mitochondrial genome, and several genes involved in bone and tooth formation. These genes are likely to provide inroads into pathways affected by RUNX2 and potentially by the evolutionary changes that affected RUNX2 in modern humans.