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M33 is a gene. It is a mammalian homologue of Drosophila Polycomb. It localises to euchromatin within interphase nuclei, but it is enriched within the centromeric heterochromatin of metaphase chromosomes. In mice, the official symbol of M33 gene styled Cbx2 and the official name chromobox 2 are maintained by the MGI. Also known as pc; MOD2. In human ortholog CBX2, synonyms CDCA6, M33, SRXY5 from orthology source HGNC. M33 was isolated by means of the structural similarity of its chromodomain. It contains a region of homology shared by Xenopus and Drosophila in the fifth exon. Polycomb genes in Drosophila mediate changes in higher-order chromatin structure to maintain the repressed state of developmentally regulated genes. M33 deficiency interferes with steps upstream of the Y-chromosome-specific SRY gene may cause sex reversal. It may also involved in the campomelic syndrome and neoplastic disorders linked to allele loss in this region. Disruption of the murine M33 gene, displayed posterior transformation of the sternal ribs and vertebral columns.