2019-10-04 (OCT-4) Antibody – Mouse Monoclonal

This gene encodes a transcription factor containing a POU homeodomain that plays a key role in embryonic development and stem cell pluripotency. Aberrant expression of this gene in adult tissues is associated with tumorigenesis. This gene can participate in a translocation with the Ewing's sarcoma gene on chromosome 21, which also leads to tumor formation. Alternative splicing, as well as usage of alternative AUG and non-AUG translation initiation codons, results in multiple isoforms. One of the AUG start codons is polymorphic in human populations. Related pseudogenes have been identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 8, 10, and 12. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2013]

Oct4: Transcription factor that binds to the octamer motif (5'-ATTTGCAT-3'). Forms a trimeric complex with SOX2 on DNA and controls the expression of a number of genes involved in embryonic development such as YES1, FGF4, UTF1 and ZFP206. Critical for early embryogenesis and for embryonic stem cell pluripotency. Interacts with UBE2I and ZSCAN10. Interacts with PKM2. Interacts with WWP2. Transcriptional activity is positively regulated by PKM2. Expressed in developing brain. Highest levels found in specific cell layers of the cortex, the olfactory bulb, the hippocampus and the cerebellum. Low levels of expression in adult tissues. Belongs to the POU transcription factor family. Class- 5 subfamily. 2 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Protein type: Transcription factor; DNA-binding

Cellular Component: cytoplasm; cytosol; nuclear chromatin; nucleolus; nucleoplasm; nucleus; transcription factor complex; transcriptional repressor complex

Molecular Function: chromatin binding; chromatin DNA binding; cytokine binding; DNA binding; miRNA binding; protein binding; protein heterodimerization activity; sequence-specific DNA binding; transcription corepressor activity; transcription factor activity; transcription factor binding; ubiquitin protein ligase binding

Biological Process: blastocyst growth; cell fate commitment; ectodermal cell fate commitment; endodermal cell fate commitment; endodermal cell fate specification; germ-line stem cell maintenance; mesodermal cell fate commitment; mRNA transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; multicellular organismal development; negative regulation of calcium ion-dependent exocytosis; negative regulation of cell differentiation; negative regulation of protein kinase B signaling cascade; negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; negative regulation of transcription, DNA-dependent; positive regulation of protein kinase B signaling cascade; positive regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; positive regulation of transcription, DNA-dependent; regulation of gene expression; regulation of transcription, DNA-dependent; response to organic substance; response to retinoic acid; somatic stem cell maintenance; stem cell differentiation; stem cell maintenance; transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; transcription, DNA-dependent; trophectodermal cell differentiation