Mesoderm posterior protein 2 (MESP2), also known as class C basic helix-loop-helix protein 6 (bHLHc6), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the MESP2gene.[1]
This gene encodes a member of the bHLH family of transcription factors and plays a key role in defining the rostrocaudal patterning of somites via interactions with multiple Notch signaling pathways. This gene is expressed in the anterior presomitic mesoderm and is downregulated immediately after the formation of segmented somites. This gene also plays a role in the formation of epithelial somitic mesoderm and cardiac mesoderm.[1] In zebrafish, the homolog mesp-b is critical for dermomyotome development.[2]
Morimoto M, Kiso M, Sasaki N, Saga Y (Dec 2006). "Cooperative Mesp activity is required for normal somitogenesis along the anterior-posterior axis". Developmental Biology. 300 (2): 687–98. doi:10.1016/j.ydbio.2006.08.043. PMID16996494.
McLellan AS, Langlands K, Kealey T (Dec 2002). "Exhaustive identification of human class II basic helix-loop-helix proteins by virtual library screening". Mechanisms of Development. 119 Suppl 1: S285–91. doi:10.1016/S0925-4773(03)00130-8. PMID14516699.
Haraguchi S, Kitajima S, Takagi A, Takeda H, Inoue T, Saga Y (Oct 2001). "Transcriptional regulation of Mesp1 and Mesp2 genes: differential usage of enhancers during development". Mechanisms of Development. 108 (1–2): 59–69. doi:10.1016/S0925-4773(01)00478-6. PMID11578861.
