Role of transcription factors Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 in auditory and visual system development.
Erkman, Linda; McEvilly, Robert J.; Luo, Lin; Ryan, Aimee K.; Hooshmand, Farideh; O'Connell, Shawn M.; Keithley, Elizabeth M.; Rapaport, David H.; Ryan, Allen F.; Rosenfeld, Michael G.
[Letter] Nature. 381(6583):603-606, June 13, 1996.

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THE neurally expressed genes Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 ( [1-6]) are mammalian orthologues of the Caenorhabditis elegans unc-86 gene [7] that constitute, with Brn-3.0 ( [1-3,8,9]), the class IV POU-domain transcription factors [10]. Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 provide a means of exploring the potentially distinct biological functions of expanded gene families in neural development. The highly related members of the Brn-3 family have similar DNA-binding preferences [1,2] and overlapping expression patterns in the sensory nervous system, midbrain and hindbrain [1-6,8,9], suggesting functional redundancy. Here we report that Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 critically modulate the terminal differentiation of distinct sensorineural cells in which they exhibit selective spatial and temporal expression patterns. Deletion of the Brn-3.2 gene causes the loss of most retinal ganglion cells, defining distinct ganglion cell populations. Mutation of Brn-3.1 results in complete deafness, owing to a failure of hair cells to appear in the inner ear, with subsequent loss of cochlear and vestibular ganglia.

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