Isolation and characterization of a novel human paired-like homeodomain-containing transcription factor gene, VSX1, expressed in ocular tissues.

Homeodomain transcription factors control cell fates during the development of all animals. The paired-like subfamily of homeodomain proteins has been particularly implicated in ocular development in different species. In this paper we report the cDNA sequence, genomic structure, localization, and expression data of a novel paired-like homeobox-containing gene, VSX1, isolated from a human embryonic craniofacial cDNA library using the degenerate-PCR approach. The composed VSX1 cDNA sequence of 1433 bp was predicted to encode a protein of 365 amino acid residues. Maximal homology at the protein level was identified with the paired-like homeoproteins of the CVC-domain family: 92-97% identity was seen in the homeodomain region with 55% overall identity to zebrafish and goldfish Vsx1 and 35% overall identity to goldfish Vsx2 and murine Chx10. The gene was found to consist of five exons that are distributed over 6.2 kb of genomic sequence. VSX1 was localized to the 20p11-q11 region, which is homologous with the distal part of mouse chromosome 2. Expression of VSX1 was detected in embryonic craniofacial and adult ocular tissues. Several ocular phenotypes have been mapped to the VSX1 region in both human and mouse genomes, and its candidacy for these disorders is discussed. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.