Identification of gene targets of Meis2

The homeodomain protein Meis1 is essential for definitive hematopoiesis and vascular patterning in the mouse embryo. Meis2, another member of the same family, shares 82% protein identities with Meis1. Our present study suggested Meis2 exerts two distinguishable effects in differentiating ES cells. First, it increases the numbers of hematopoietic progenitors and extends their persistence in culture. Second, Meis2 skews hematopoietic differentiation by suppressing erythroid while enhancing megakaryocytic progenitor differentiation. To identify the underlying transcriptional bases of these actions, we carried out microarray analysis to compare the various populations of cells developing in ES differentiation cultures in the presence and absence of Meis2 induction.

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Cai M, Langer EM, Gill JG, Satpathy AT, Albring JC, KC W, Murphy TL, Murphy KM