Zinc finger protein 81 (ZNF81)

Zinc finger protein 81 (ZNF81) is a nuclear transcription factor belonging to the Krueppel C2H2-type zinc finger protein family. It contains twelve C2H2-type zinc finger motifs and a KRAB domain, which allows it to bind to DNA and recruit histone-modifying proteins, thereby playing a role in transcriptional regulation. Mutations in ZNF81 have been associated with nonsyndromic X-linked mental retardation, indicating its importance in neurodevelopmental processes. Zinc finger proteins overall regulate gene expression, cellular differentiation, apoptosis, metabolism, and immune responses, but ZNF81's established disease associations are specifically neurodevelopmental. Key molecular characteristics include 12 C2H2 zinc finger motifs and a KRAB domain. It is localized to the nucleus and its primary functions are the regulation of gene transcription and interaction with epigenetic modifiers. It has a known disease link to intellectual disability (X-linked mental retardation). No evidence is available as of 2024 that ZNF81 is a direct target of marketed drugs, a validated biomarker, or used in therapeutic patient selection.

Other names

ZNF81HFZ20MRX45dJ54B20.6zinc finger protein 81