SRY-box transcription factor 2
Last updated 3 Jul 2025
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The SOX2 gene provides instructions for making a type of protein called a transcription factor. Transcription factors attach (bind) to specific regions of DNA and help regulate the activity of other genes.
Normal function
The SOX2 gene provides instructions for making a type of protein called a transcription factor. Transcription factors attach (bind) to specific regions of DNA and help regulate the activity of other genes.
The SOX2 protein plays a critical role in regulating the genes that are involved in the formation of many different tissues and organs during embryonic development. The SOX2 protein is especially important for the development of the eyes.
Conditions referring to this gene or chromosome
Other names
ANOP3
MCOPS3
SRY box 2
SRY-related HMG-box gene 2
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Further reading and references
- SRY-box transcription factor 2; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Alatzoglou KS, Kelberman D, Dattani MT. The role of SOX proteins in normal pituitary development. J Endocrinol. 2009 Mar;200(3):245-58. doi: 10.1677/JOE-08-0447. Epub 2008 Dec 12.
- Bakrania P, Robinson DO, Bunyan DJ, Salt A, Martin A, Crolla JA, Wyatt A, Fielder A, Ainsworth J, Moore A, Read S, Uddin J, Laws D, Pascuel-Salcedo D, Ayuso C, Allen L, Collin JR, Ragge NK. SOX2 anophthalmia syndrome: 12 new cases demonstrating broader phenotype and high frequency of large gene deletions. Br J Ophthalmol. 2007 Nov;91(11):1471-6. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2007.117929. Epub 2007 May 23.
- Cassin J, Stamou MI, Keefe KW, Sung KE, Bojo CC, Tonsfeldt KJ, Rojas RA, Ferreira Lopes V, Plummer L, Salnikov KB, Keefe DL Jr, Ozata M, Genel M, Georgopoulos NA, Hall JE, Crowley WF Jr, Seminara SB, Mellon PL, Balasubramanian R. Heterozygous mutations in SOX2 may cause idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism via dominant-negative mechanisms. JCI Insight. 2023 Feb 8;8(3):e164324. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.164324.
- Chesneau B, Aubert-Mucca M, Fremont F, Pechmeja J, Soler V, Isidor B, Nizon M, Dollfus H, Kaplan J, Fares-Taie L, Rozet JM, Busa T, Lacombe D, Naudion S, Amiel J, Rio M, Attie-Bitach T, Lesage C, Thouvenin D, Odent S, Morel G, Vincent-Delorme C, Boute O, Vanlerberghe C, Dieux A, Boussion S, Faivre L, Pinson L, Laffargue F, Le Guyader G, Le Meur G, Prieur F, Lambert V, Laudier B, Cottereau E, Ayuso C, Corton-Perez M, Bouneau L, Le Caignec C, Gaston V, Jeanton-Scaramouche C, Dupin-Deguine D, Calvas P, Chassaing N, Plaisancie J. First evidence of SOX2 mutations in Peters' anomaly: Lessons from molecular screening of 95 patients. Clin Genet. 2022 May;101(5-6):494-506. doi: 10.1111/cge.14123. Epub 2022 Feb 27.
- Fantes J, Ragge NK, Lynch SA, McGill NI, Collin JR, Howard-Peebles PN, Hayward C, Vivian AJ, Williamson K, van Heyningen V, FitzPatrick DR. Mutations in SOX2 cause anophthalmia. Nat Genet. 2003 Apr;33(4):461-3. doi: 10.1038/ng1120. Epub 2003 Mar 3.
- Harding P, Moosajee M. The Molecular Basis of Human Anophthalmia and Microphthalmia. J Dev Biol. 2019 Aug 14;7(3):16. doi: 10.3390/jdb7030016.
- Kelberman D, de Castro SC, Huang S, Crolla JA, Palmer R, Gregory JW, Taylor D, Cavallo L, Faienza MF, Fischetto R, Achermann JC, Martinez-Barbera JP, Rizzoti K, Lovell-Badge R, Robinson IC, Gerrelli D, Dattani MT. SOX2 plays a critical role in the pituitary, forebrain, and eye during human embryonic development. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 May;93(5):1865-73. doi: 10.1210/jc.2007-2337. Epub 2008 Feb 19.
- Kelberman D, Rizzoti K, Avilion A, Bitner-Glindzicz M, Cianfarani S, Collins J, Chong WK, Kirk JM, Achermann JC, Ross R, Carmignac D, Lovell-Badge R, Robinson IC, Dattani MT. Mutations within Sox2/SOX2 are associated with abnormalities in the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis in mice and humans. J Clin Invest. 2006 Sep;116(9):2442-55. doi: 10.1172/JCI28658. Epub 2006 Aug 24.
- Plaisancie J, Ceroni F, Holt R, Zazo Seco C, Calvas P, Chassaing N, Ragge NK. Genetics of anophthalmia and microphthalmia. Part 1: Non-syndromic anophthalmia/microphthalmia. Hum Genet. 2019 Sep;138(8-9):799-830. doi: 10.1007/s00439-019-01977-y. Epub 2019 Feb 14.
- Tziaferi V, Kelberman D, Dattani MT. The role of SOX2 in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Sex Dev. 2008;2(4-5):194-9. doi: 10.1159/000152035. Epub 2008 Nov 5.
- Williamson KA, FitzPatrick DR. The genetic architecture of microphthalmia, anophthalmia and coloboma. Eur J Med Genet. 2014 Aug;57(8):369-80. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2014.05.002. Epub 2014 May 22.
- Williamson KA, Hever AM, Rainger J, Rogers RC, Magee A, Fiedler Z, Keng WT, Sharkey FH, McGill N, Hill CJ, Schneider A, Messina M, Turnpenny PD, Fantes JA, van Heyningen V, FitzPatrick DR. Mutations in SOX2 cause anophthalmia-esophageal-genital (AEG) syndrome. Hum Mol Genet. 2006 May 1;15(9):1413-22. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddl064. Epub 2006 Mar 16.
- Williamson KA, Yates TM, FitzPatrick DR. SOX2 Disorder. 2006 Feb 23 [updated 2020 Jul 30]. In: Adam MP, Bick S, Mirzaa GM, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews(R) [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2026. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1300/
- Zhou J, Kherani F, Bardakjian TM, Katowitz J, Hughes N, Schimmenti LA, Schneider A, Young TL. Identification of novel mutations and sequence variants in the SOX2 and CHX10 genes in patients with anophthalmia/microphthalmia. Mol Vis. 2008 Mar 24;14:583-92.
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