Alternative splicing generates different 5' UTRs in OCT4B variants

ABSTRACT

Background: The human OCT4 gene, responsible for pluripotency and self-renewal of Embryonic Stem [ES] and Embryonic Carcinoma [EC] cells, can generate several transcripts [OCT4A, OCT4B-variant 2, OCT4B-variant 3, OCT4B-variant 5, OCT4B1, OCT4 B2 and OCT4B3] by alternative splicing and alternative promoters. OCT4A that is responsible for ES and EC cell stemness properties is transcribed from a promoter upstream of Exon1a in those cells. The OCT4B group variants [OCT4B-varianT[2], OCT4Bvariant3, OCT4B-variant5, OCT4B1, OCT4B2 and OCT4B3] are transcribed from a different promoter located in intron 1 and some of them respond to the cell stresses, but cannot sustain the ES/EC cell self-renewal. However, the exact function of OCT4B group variants is still unclear