[C.elegansII] Extra copies of locus lead to dominant XO lethality and feminization. Cloned: 1.8 kb transcript, encodes predicted 415 aa protein with RNP motif. [Hodgkin et al. 1994; CB; TY]
fox-1 encodes an RNA-binding protein of the RNA recognition motif (RRM) superfamily of ribonucleic acid binding proteins; during C. elegans development, FOX-1 functions redundantly with other numerator elements to effect proper dosage compensation in the early embryo; in influencing dosage compensation, FOX-1 likely acts via post-transcriptional regulation of xol-1 mRNA levels; in addition to its role in dosage compensation, fox-1 activity is also required for normal male mating behavior; Western analysis and lacZ reporter constructs indicate that FOX-1 is expressed throughout the life cycle, beginning at the 18-20-cell stage of embryogenesis and continuing on through larval stages and into adult hermaphrodites and males; while early embryonic expression of fox-1 is ubiquitous, postembryonic expression is limited to a subset of head and tail neurons.
Enables pre-mRNA intronic binding activity and single-stranded RNA binding activity. Involved in several processes, including intergenic mRNA trans splicing; primary sex determination; and regulation of gene expression. Located in nucleus. Expressed in body wall musculature; intestine; pharynx; and vulval muscle. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in dilated cardiomyopathy; hypoplastic left heart syndrome; myotonic dystrophy type 1; and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Is an ortholog of human RBFOX1 (RNA binding fox-1 homolog 1) and RBFOX3 (RNA binding fox-1 homolog 3).