OAC2

Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) is a master regulator of the induction and maintenance of cellular pluripotency, and has crucial roles in early stages of differentiation. It is the only factor that cannot be substituted by other members of the same protein family to induce pluripotency. Oct4 has been shown to be an essential regulator of embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency and key to the reprogramming process. OAC2 is a structural analog of OAC1. OAC2 activates both Oct4 and Nanog reporters to a similar extent as OAC1. OAC1 and its two structural analogs OAC2 and OAC3 enhances reprogramming efficiency fourfold, up to as high as 2.75%, and accelerates the appearance of iPSC colonies 3 to 4 d when used in combination with the four reprogramming factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc.