The LIM homeobox transcription factor Lhx2 is required to specify the retina field and synergistically cooperates with Pax6 for Six6 trans-activation.

In mammals, a limited set of homeobox-containing transcription factors are expressed in the presumptive eye field and required to initiate eye development. How these factors interact together at the genetic and molecular level to coordinate this developmental process is poorly understood. We found that the Lhx2 and Pax6 transcription factors operate in a concerted manner during retinal development to promote transcriptional activation of the Six6 homeobox-gene in primitive and mature retinal progenitors. Lhx2 demarcates the presumptive retina field at the neural plate stage and Lhx2 inactivation delays initiation of Rx, Six3 and Pax6 expression in this domain. The later expressed Six6 is properly activated in the pituitary/hypothalamic axis of Lhx2(-/-) embryos, but expression fails to be initiated in the optic vesicle. Lhx2 and Pax6 associate with the chromatin at several regions of Six6 in vivo and cooperate for trans-activation of Six6 regulatory elements in vitro. In retinal progenitor/stem cells, both Lhx2 and Pax6 are genetically required for proper Six6 expression and forced co-expression of Lhx2 and Pax6 can synergistically trans-activate the Six6 locus. Our work reveals how two master regulators of eye development coordinate their action to sequentially promote tissue-specific transcriptional initiation and full activation of a retinal determinant gene.