High mobility group nucleosome-binding domain-containing protein 4 (HMGN4)

High mobility group nucleosome-binding domain-containing protein 4 (HMGN4) is a member of the HMGN family of non-histone chromatin architectural proteins. It binds to nucleosomes and modulates chromatin structure by reducing chromatin fiber compactness, thereby enhancing transcription from chromatin templates and impacting gene regulation and epigenetic processes. HMGN4 is more restricted in expression than some other HMGN proteins and appears to be specific to primates. Experimental evidence links HMGN4 to the regulation of gene expression in development, with aberrant expression implicated in increased tumorigenicity and poor prognosis in several cancers, notably hepatocellular carcinoma and thyroid cancer, where it may act as a biomarker for poor clinical outcome. HMGN4 is not currently known as a direct therapeutic target or as the ligand-binding site for any drugs

Other names

HMG17L3NHCNon-histone chromosomal protein HMG-17-like 3high mobility group protein N4high-mobility group (nonhistone chromosomal) protein 17-like 3high-mobility group protein 17-like 3non-histone chromosomal protein HMG-17-like 3