Forkhead box protein D4-like 1 (FOXD4L1)

Forkhead box protein D4-like 1 (FOXD4L1) is a member of the FOX transcription factor family, notable for its highly conserved DNA-binding (winged-helix) domains. FOXD4L1 regulates embryogenesis and neural development, maintaining neural ectodermal precursors and mediating the transition to neural plate cell differentiation by both up-regulating genes that sustain an immature state and repressing genes that promote differentiation. The gene is located on human chromosome 2, in a region reflecting ancestral chromosome fusion events and duplicated in subtelomeric/pericentromeric loci. Its paralog is FOXD4, and its biological activity is closely related to other FOX transcription factors that play roles in development and, potentially, oncogenesis. FOXD4L1 possesses an Acidic blob (AB) domain in the N-terminus required for transcriptional activation and an Eh-1 motif in the C-terminus mediating transcriptional repression via binding with Groucho/TLE family co-repressor proteins. Its flexible, disordered protein structure outside the DNA-binding domain may allow interaction with multiple partners, affecting transcriptional outcomes associated with neural cell fate transitions.

Other names

FOXD4L1FOXD4-like 1Forkhead box protein D4-like 1FOXD5BA395L14.1foxd4l1.1