Human/Mouse PHOX2B Antibody

PHOX2B (Paired mesoderm homeobox protein 2B; also NBPhox) is a 33-35 kDa member of the paired homeobox family of transcription factors. It is not actually a mesoderm-associated protein, but is instead apparently restricted to neuronal precursors and mature neurons. It is found in glutamatergic neurons of the NTS and in neurons that demarcate the respiratory chemoreception pathway. In addition, PHOX2B is essential to the development of noradrenergic adrenal chromaffin and sympathetic motor neurons. Human PHOX2B is 314 amino acids (aa) in length. It contains one DNA binding homeobox domain (aa 98-157), and two poly-Ala sequences, one between aa 159-167, and another between aa 241-260. Alanine extensions involving anywhere from 5 to 11 Ala residues may exist. These change the nature of the PHOX2B molecule. While wild-type PHOX2B is nuclear, Ala extensions promote its retention in the cytoplasm with loss of activity. PHOX2B may potentially form oligomers with itself, or it paralogue, PHOX2A. Human and mouse PHOX2B are identical in aa sequence.