Function
Transcriptional regulator ERG is a nuclear protein that binds purine-rich sequences. ERG is expressed at higher levels in early myelocytes than in mature lymphocytes. Therefore ERG may act as a regulator of differentiation of early hematopoietic cells. Erg gene is vitally important to blood stem cells' unique ability to self-renew could give scientists new opportunities to use blood stem cells for tissue repair, transplantation and other therapeutic applications.
The Mld2 mutation generated through an ENU mutagenesis screen, was the first non-functional allele of Erg. Homozygous Mld2 is embryonic lethal at day 13.5. Adult mice heterozygous for the Mld2 mutation have hematopoietic stem cell defects. DNA binding protein ERG fuses with RNA binding proteins EWS and TLS/FUS in Ewing Sarcoma and Acute Myeloid Leukemias respectively and function as transcriptional activators. ERG and it's fusion proteins EWS-ERG and TLS/FUS-ERG inhibit apoptosis.
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