EOMES: Proteins and Enzymes

EOMES (Eomesodermin; Eo from Greek meaning "dawn"/early in mesoderm; also TBR2) is a 72 kDa member of the TBR1 subfamily, T-box family of transcription factors. It is expressed in NK and CD8+ T cells, where CTLA4 activation suppresses EOMES activation of IFN-gamma and granzyme B genes. It is also found in the embryo, where it occurs in forebrain floorplate and migrating neuroblasts at 12.5 weeks gestation. Notably, it is reported to undergo intercellular transfer in fetal Xenopus tissue destined to become mesoderm. Here, it synchronizes a multicellular commitment to a cell lineage. Human EOMES is 686 amino acids (aa) in length. It contains short poly-Ala, -Gly and -Asn motifs, and a DNA-binding T box (aa 276-456). There is one isoform that shows a 19 aa insertion after Ser460. Over aa 471-686, human EOMES shares 91% aa identity with mouse EOMES.