CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF)

CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is a highly conserved, ubiquitously expressed transcription factor characterized by 11 zinc finger domains[1][3][5]. CTCF is best known as a *multifunctional architectural protein* that plays a central role in organizing the 3-dimensional structure of chromatin, regulating gene expression by functioning as an insulator, transcriptional activator, or repressor, and mediating long-range chromatin looping[1][3]. CTCF binds tens of thousands of sites across mammalian genomes, including promoters, enhancers, and insulator sequences, using its 11-zinc finger DNA-binding domain, allowing it to orchestrate complex enhancer-promoter interactions and define chromatin domain boundaries[2][3]. Importantly, CTCF is required for proper chromatin domain formation and gene regulation, with loss or mutation frequently observed in human cancers, implicating it as a tumor suppressor as well as a master genome organizer[4][6][1].

Other names

Transcriptional repressor CTCF11-zinc finger proteinFAP108CFAP108MRD21CTCFL paralog11 zinc finger transcriptional repressor