ZSCAN4
Description
The ZSCAN4 (zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 4) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 19.
The ZSCAN4 gene encodes a protein involved in telomere maintenance and plays a key role in the critical feature of mouse embryonic stem cells: defying cellular senescence and maintaining normal karyotype for many cell divisions in culture.
ZSCAN4 is a transcription factor specifically expressed in embryonic stem (ES) cells, where it plays a crucial role in maintaining ES cell pluripotency. It directly interacts with telomeres, contributing to genomic stability by regulating telomere elongation. This regulation involves promoting spontaneous telomere sister chromatid exchange (T-SCE) and telomere elongation in undifferentiated ES cells.
ZSCAN4 is also known as ZNF494.
