Nanog
Nanog (Nanog homeobox, also known as FLJ12581 and FLJ40451) is a homeobox transcription factor that supports the proliferation, self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. It is encoded by the NANOG gene and acts in the nucleus as both a transcriptional activator and repressor. Browse Assay Genie's current range of Nanog research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
Nanog is a transcription regulator involved in the proliferation and self-renewal of the inner cell mass and embryonic stem (ES) cells. It imposes pluripotency on ES cells and prevents their differentiation towards extraembryonic endoderm and trophectoderm lineages. It can act as either a transcriptional activator or a repressor, and it binds DNA at optimal consensus sequences of the form 5'-TAAT[GT][GT]-3' or 5'-[CG][GA][CG]C[GC]ATTAN[GC]-3'.
Nanog also protects ES cells from mesoderm differentiation. It blocks bone morphogenetic protein-induced mesoderm differentiation by physically interacting with SMAD1, which interferes with the recruitment of coactivators to active SMAD transcriptional complexes. It binds to the POU5F1/OCT4 promoter. In differentiating ES cells it can autorepress its own expression: after interacting with ZNF281/ZFP281 it binds its own promoter and recruits the NuRD complex, which represses transcription. When overexpressed, Nanog promotes entry into S phase and cell proliferation.
The human NANOG gene encodes the Nanog protein, which belongs to the Nanog homeobox family and is classed by HGNC within the NKL subclass of homeoboxes and pseudogenes. RefSeq records two transcript variants that encode different isoforms. The mouse ortholog is also named Nanog, so findings in mouse ES cell systems can be related directly to the human gene.
Nanog supports ES cell proliferation and self-renewal and imposes pluripotency, making it a core factor in studies of the pluripotent state.
It prevents differentiation towards extraembryonic endoderm and trophectoderm and blocks BMP-induced mesoderm differentiation through SMAD1, so it is used to study lineage commitment.
Nanog binds defined DNA motifs, the POU5F1/OCT4 promoter and its own promoter, offering a model for activator, repressor and autorepression mechanisms.
Overexpressed Nanog promotes entry into S phase and cell proliferation, which makes it relevant to studies of how self-renewal is coupled to cell cycle control.
Nanog is a nuclear transcription regulator that maintains the proliferation, self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. It prevents differentiation towards extraembryonic endoderm and trophectoderm, blocks BMP-induced mesoderm differentiation by interacting with SMAD1, and can activate or repress target genes.
The official gene symbol is NANOG, for Nanog homeobox, and the UniProt protein name is Homeobox protein NANOG. Other names are FLJ12581 and FLJ40451. RefSeq reports two transcript variants of the gene that encode different isoforms. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
A mouse ortholog, also called Nanog, is recorded for the human gene. Functional work described in ES cells covers the inner cell mass and ES cell self-renewal. UniProt places the protein in the Nanog homeobox family, and HGNC groups the gene with NKL subclass homeoboxes.
Pluripotency factors, SMAD signalling components and transcriptional partners connected to Nanog function.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q9H9S0; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.