Ets-1 is the prototype member of a family of genes identified on the basis of homology to the v-Ets oncogene isolated from the E26 erythroblastosis virus. This family of genes currently includes Ets-1, Ets-2, Erg-1C3, Elk-1, Elf-1, Elf-5, NERF, PU.1, PEA3, ERM, FEV, ER8l, Fli-1, TEL, Spi-B, ESE-1, ESE-3A, Net, ABT1 and ERF. Members of the Ets gene family exhibit varied patterns of tissue expression, and share a highly conserved carboxy-terminal domain containing a sequence related to the SV40 large T antigen nuclear localization signal sequence. This conserved domain is essential for Ets-1 binding to DNA and is likely to be responsible for the DNA binding activity of all members of the Ets gene family. Several of these proteins have been shown to recognize similar motifs in DNA that share a centrally located 5'-GGAA-3' element. Erg genes encode for multiple proteins due to alternative splicing and alternative usage of initiation codons.
