TCF15
Description
The TCF15 (transcription factor 15) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 20.
Transcription factor 15 (TCF15) is a protein encoded by the TCF15 gene in humans. It is located in the nucleus and may play a role in the early transcriptional regulation of mesoderm patterning. TCF15 is a basic helix-loop-helix protein that requires dimerization with another basic helix-loop-helix protein for efficient DNA binding.
TCF15 is an early transcription factor that plays a crucial role in somitogenesis, the development of the paraxial mesoderm, and the regulation of stem cell pluripotency. It is essential for the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition during somite formation, which is required for proper somite morphogenesis. This in turn regulates the patterning of the axial skeleton and skeletal muscles. TCF15 is also necessary for the correct localization of somite epithelium markers during this transition. Furthermore, TCF15 is involved in regulating stem cell pluripotency, promoting pluripotency exit in embryonic stem cells by priming them for differentiation. It is also a key regulator of self-renewal in hematopoietic stem cells, mediating their quiescence and long-term self-renewal. In collaboration with MEOX2, TCF15 regulates transcription in heart endothelial cells, influencing fatty acid transport across these cells. TCF15 achieves its functions by forming heterodimers with other helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins, such as TCF3/E12. This dimerization allows it to bind to E-box motifs (5'-CANNTG-3') in DNA and activate the transcription of target genes.
TCF15 is also known as EC2, PARAXIS, bHLHa40.
Associated Diseases
- metatropic dysplasia
- Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen disease
- fibrochondrogenesis 1
- Poland syndrome
- colorectal cancer
