Core binding factor and its role in normal hematopoietic development

The core binding factors are a small family of transcription factors comprising a DNA binding CBFalpha subunit and a non-DNA binding CBFbeta subunit. One gene encoding a CBFalpha subunit, RUNX1 (also known as AML1, CBFA2, and PEBPA2A), and the gene encoding CBFbeta (CBFB) are essential for hematopoiesis and are frequently mutated in human leukemias. Both genes are required for the generation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) during embryonic development. Expression studies in fish and frogs and functional analyses in flies indicate that a role for these genes in hematopoiesis is evolutionarily conserved.