TOX

Thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box protein TOX is a is_associated_with::protein that in humans is encoded by the TOX is_associated_with::gene.

Structure and function
The TOX gene encodes a is_associated_with::protein that belongs to a large superfamily of is_associated_with::chromatin associated proteins that share an approximately 75 amino acid DNA binding motif, the HMG (high mobility group)-box (named after that found in the canonical member of the family, high mobility group protein 1). Some is_associated_with::high mobility group (HMG) box proteins (e.g., is_associated_with::LEF1) contain a single HMG box motif and bind DNA in a sequence-specific manner, while other members of this family (e.g., is_associated_with::HMGB1) have multiple HMG boxes and bind DNA in a sequence-independent but structure-dependent manner. While TOX has a single HMG-box motif, it is predicted to bind DNA in a sequence-independent manner. TOX is also a member of a small subfamily of proteins (is_associated_with::TOX2, is_associated_with::TOX3, and is_associated_with::TOX4) that share almost identical HMG-box sequences. TOX3 has been identified as a breast cancer susceptibility locus. TOX is highly expressed in the is_associated_with::thymus, the site of development of is_associated_with::T lymphocytes. Knockout mice that lack TOX have a severe defect in development of certain subsets of T lymphocytes.