Expression of the POU-domain transcription factor Octamer-4 (Oct-4) is widely regarded as a hallmark of pluripotent stem cells. The relationship of Oct-4 to pluripotent stem cells is indicated by its tightly restricted expression to undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells. Upon differentiation to somatic lineages, the expression of Oct-4 disappears rapidly. Unlike the majority of pluripotent stem cell markers, the biological role of Oct-4 has been well characterized. Studies performed in mice point to the critical role of Oct-4 in the establishment and/or maintenance of pluripotent stem cells in an uncommitted state.
Function:
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.
Subunit:
Interacts with UBE2I and ZSCAN10. Interacts with PKM2. Interacts with WWP2.
Subcellular Location:
Nucleus.Note=Expressed in a diffuse and slightly punctuate pattern.
Tissue Specificity:
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.
Post-translational modifications:
Sumoylation enhances the protein stability, DNA binding and transactivation activity. Sumoylation is required for enhanced YES1 expression (By similarity).
Ubiquitinated; undergoes 'Lys-63'-linked polyubiquitination by WWP2 leading to proteasomal degradation (By similarity).
ERK1/2-mediated phosphorylation at Ser-111 promotes nuclear exclusion and proteasomal degradation. Phosphorylation at Thr-235 and Ser-236 decrease DNA-binding and alters ability to activate transcription.
Similarity:
Belongs to the POU transcription factor family. Class-5 subfamily.
Contains 1 homeobox DNA-binding domain.
Contains 1 POU-specific domain.
SWISS:
Q01860
Gene ID:
592
Database links:
Entrez Gene: 282316 Cow
Entrez Gene: 592 Human
Entrez Gene: 18999 Mouse
Entrez Gene: 100127461 Pig
Entrez Gene: 294562 Rat
Omim: 164177 Human
SwissProt: O97552 Cow
SwissProt: Q01860 Human
SwissProt: P20263 Mouse
SwissProt: Q9TSV5 Pig
Unigene: 249184 Human
Unigene: 632482 Human
Unigene: 646545 Human
Unigene: 17031 Mouse
Unigene: 161748 Rat
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