Xenopus Sox11 Partner Proteins and Functional Domains in Neurogenesis

Sox11, a member of the SoxC family of transcription factors, has distinct functions at different times in neural development. Studies in mouse, frog, chick, and zebrafish show that Sox11 promotes neural fate, neural differentiation, and neuron maturation in the central nervous system. These diverse roles are controlled in part by spatial and temporal-specific protein interactions. However, the partner proteins and Sox11-interaction domains underlying these diverse functions are not well defined. Here, we identify partner proteins and the domains of Xenopus laevis Sox11 required for protein interaction and function during neurogenesis. Our data show that Sox11 co-localizes and interacts with Pou3f2 and Neurog2 in the anterior neural plate and in early neurons, respectively. We also demonstrate that Sox11 does not interact with Neurog1, a high-affinity partner of Sox11 in the mouse cortex, suggesting that Sox11 has species-specific partner proteins. Additionally, we determined that the N-terminus including the HMG domain of Sox11 is necessary for interaction with Pou3f2 and Neurog2, and we established a novel role for the N-terminal 46 amino acids in the specification of placodal progenitors. This is the first identification of partner proteins for Sox11 and of domains required for partner-protein interactions and distinct roles in neurogenesis.