Octamer transcription factor explained

Octamer transcription factors are a family of transcription factors which binds to the "ATTTGCAT" DNA sequence.^[1] Their DNA-binding domain is a POU domain.

There are eight Octamer proteins in humans (Oct1–11),^[2] which have been renamed according to the different classes of POU domain.^[3] Octamer-3/4, also known as POU5F1, is one of the Yamanaka factors, which are critical for the maintenance and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells. On the other hand, Oct-1 and Oct-2 are widely expressed in adult tissues. Oct-7, 8 and 9, also known as "brain factors", are predominantly expressed in the central nervous system during embryonic development. Oct-6 expression is confined to embryonic stem cells and the developing nervous system and skin, while Oct-11 is also involved in skin differentiation.

Human Oct proteins

Oct-1 -
Oct-2 -
Oct-3/4 –
Oct-6 –
Oct-7 –
Oct-8 –
Oct-9 –
Oct-11 –

Notes and References

Petryniak B, Staudt LM, Postema CE, McCormack WT, Thompson CB . Characterization of chicken octamer-binding proteins demonstrates that POU domain-containing homeobox transcription factors have been highly conserved during vertebrate evolution . Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. . 87 . 3 . 1099–103 . 1990 . 1967834 . 10.1073/pnas.87.3.1099 . 53418 . 1990PNAS...87.1099P . free .
Oct-5 and Oct-10 are not found in humans, while Oct-3 and Oct-4 were identified as the same protein.
Zhao . FQ . Octamer-binding transcription factors: genomics and functions. . Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark Edition) . 1 June 2013 . 18 . 3 . 1051–71 . 10.2741/4162 . 23747866. 4349413 .