Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody to Ikaros

This gene encodes a transcription factor that belongs to the family of zinc~finger DNA~binding proteins associated with chromatin remodeling. The expression of this protein is restricted to the fetal and adult hemo~lymphopoietic system, and it functions as a regulator of lymphocyte differentiation. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described for this gene. Most isoforms share a common C~terminal domain, which contains two zinc finger motifs that are required for hetero~ or homo~dimerization, and for interactions with other proteins. The isoforms, however, differ in the number of N~terminal zinc finger motifs that bind DNA and in nuclear localization signal presence, resulting in members with and without DNA~binding properties. Only a few isoforms contain the requisite three or more N~terminal zinc motifs that confer high affinity binding to a specific core DNA sequence element in the promoters of target genes. The non~DNA~binding isoforms are largely found in the cytoplasm, and are thought to function as dominant~negative factors. Overexpression of some dominant~negative isoforms have been associated with B~cell malignancies, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). [provided by RefSeq, May 2014]