Mesoderm Posterior 2 Homolog (MESP2)

MESP2 is expressed in the anterior presomitic mesoderm and is downregulated immediately after the formation of segmented somites. Mutations in the MESP2 gene cause autosomal recessive spondylocostal dystosis 2 (SCD02). The MESP2 gene is predicted to produce a transcript of 1,191 bp encoding a protein of 397 amino acids. Human MESP2 protein shares approximately 58% identity with mouse Mesp2 and approximately 47% identity with human MESP1. The MESP2 protein contains an N-terminal basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) region and a unique CPXCP motif immediately C-terminal to it. The N- and C-terminal regions are separated by a 13-repeat GQ region. Alignment of MESP2 homologs from human, mouse, Xenopus, and chick indicated a highly divergent C terminus between species.