TY - JOUR AU - Marcellini, Sylvain AU - Bruna, Carola AU - Henríquez, Juan P. AU - Albistur, Miguel AU - Reyes, Ariel E. AU - Barriga, Elias H. AU - Henríquez, Berta AU - Montecino, Martín PY - 2010 DA - 2010/03/17 TI - Evolution of the interaction between Runx2 and VDR, two transcription factors involved in osteoblastogenesis JO - BMC Evolutionary Biology SP - 78 VL - 10 IS - 1 AB - The mineralized skeleton is a major evolutionary novelty that has contributed to the impressive morphological diversifications of the vertebrates. Essential to bone biology is the solidified extracellular matrix secreted by highly specialized cells, the osteoblasts. We now have a rather complete view of the events underlying osteogenesis, from a cellular, molecular, genetic, and epigenetic perspective. Because this knowledge is still largely restricted to mammals, it is difficult, if not impossible, to deduce the evolutionary history of the regulatory network involved in osteoblasts specification and differentiation. In this study, we focused on the transcriptional regulators Runx2 and VDR (the Vitamin D Receptor) that, in mammals, directly interact together and stabilize complexes of co-activators and chromatin remodellers, thereby allowing the transcriptional activation of target genes involved in extracellular matrix mineralization. Using a combination of functional, biochemical, and histological approaches, we have asked if the interaction observed between Runx2 and VDR represents a recent mammalian innovation, or if it results from more ancient changes that have occurred deep in the vertebrate lineage. SN - 1471-2148 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-10-78 DO - 10.1186/1471-2148-10-78 ID - Marcellini2010 ER -