Cdx protein family

The Cdx protein family is a group of the transcription factor proteins which bind to DNA to regulate the expression of genes. In particular this family of proteins can regulate the Hox genes.

Cdx proteins 
Cdx1 protein
Cdx2 protein
Cdx4 protein

The human Cdx2 family protein has 94% identity with the mouse Cdx2 and the hamster Cdx3.

Cdx proteins and regulation of Hox gene expression 
Cdx proteins are key regulators of Hox genes. The vertebrate Cdx proteins act upstream of Hox genes. Cdx genes integrate the posteriorizing signals from retinoic acid and Wnt canonical pathways and relay this information to Hox promoters.

Expression in mouse embryo 
Cdx2 expression begins at 3.5 days and is confined to the trophectoderm, being absent from the inner cell mass. From 8.5 days, Cdx2 begins to be expressed in embryonic tissues, principally in the posterior part of the gut from its earliest formation.

See also 
Protein
Protein family
transcription factor
Neural tube

References

External links 

Category:Transcription factors
Category:Protein families