title: Zfp206 is a transcription factor that controls pluripotency of embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Zfp206 (ZNF206 in human) encodes a zinc finger- and SCAN domain-containing protein that is highly expressed in pluripotent ESC. Upon differentiation of human and mouse ESC, Zfp206 expression is quickly repressed. Zfp206 was found to be expressed throughout embryogenesis but absent in adult tissues except testis. We have identified a role for Zfp206 in controlling ESC differentiation. ESC engineered to overexpress Zfp206 were found to be resistant to differentiation induced by retinoic acid. In addition, ESC with knocked-down expression of Zfp206 were more sensitive to differentiation by retinoic acid treatment. We found that Zfp206 was able to enhance expression from its own promoter and also activate transcription of the Oct4 and Nanog promoters. Our results show that Zfp206 is an embryonic transcription factor that plays a role in regulating pluripotency of embryonic stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, 60 Biopolis Street, Singapore 138672.
authors.forename: Zheng-Xu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jacqueline L L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kueh
authors.forename: Christina Hui-Leng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Teh
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossbach
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kee-Yew
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lufkin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robson
authors.forename: Lawrence W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Stanton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; C514588:Zscan10 protein, mouse