Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 12 (ZBTB12)

Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 12 (ZBTB12) is a nuclear transcription factor containing a BTB/POZ domain and C2H2 zinc finger motifs. It binds DNA in a sequence-specific manner to negatively regulate transcription via RNA polymerase II, and plays a crucial role in human pluripotent stem cell fate by preventing dedifferentiation and enabling proper differentiation into the three germ layers. ZBTB12 acts as a molecular barrier, repressing primate-specific endogenous retroviruses (notably HERVH) and their associated long non-coding RNAs, such as LINC-ROR and ESRG, to ensure unidirectional cell fate transition. The protein is evolutionarily conserved across vertebrates and predominantly localized in the nucleoplasm. Genetic dysfunction of ZBTB12 skews stem cells toward increased self-renewal at the expense of differentiation, highlighting its role in balancing cellular identity and developmental progression; in disease, it is associated with rare conditions such as malignant ovarian cyst and testicular infarct, and may participate in tumorigenic processes.

Other names

ZBTB12C6orf46Protein G10Bat9D6S59EG10NG35HLA-B-associated transcript 9

Not applicable. No drugs directly target ZBTB12.