| 1998 |
Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in ZIC2 cause holoprosencephaly (HPE); haploinsufficiency for ZIC2 is sufficient to cause brain malformations, establishing ZIC2 as a dosage-sensitive transcription factor required for forebrain development. |
Molecular analysis of chromosome 13q32 deletions and direct sequencing of ZIC2 in HPE patients |
Nature genetics |
High |
9771712
|
| 2000 |
Reduced Zic2 expression (knockdown) in mice causes neurulation delay resulting in HPE and spina bifida, and delays differentiation of the dorsal neural plate (roof plate and neural crest), demonstrating that Zic2 expression level is critical for the timing of neurulation. |
Hypomorphic Zic2 knockdown mouse model; in situ hybridization for roof plate marker Wnt3a |
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
High |
10677508
|
| 2000 |
ZIC2 and Sp3 repress Sp1-induced transcriptional activation of the human D1A dopamine receptor gene in an AR1 activator region-dependent manner; ZIC2 was identified by yeast one-hybrid screening as a factor binding AR1. |
Yeast one-hybrid screening, gel shift assays (EMSA), cotransfection luciferase reporter assays |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
Medium |
10984499
|
| 2000 |
Zic1 and Zic2 bind to specific sequences in the apolipoprotein E gene promoter (regions -185/-174, -136/-125, -65/-54) and transactivate APOE gene expression. |
Yeast one-hybrid screening, EMSA, mutational analysis, cotransfection luciferase reporter assays, endogenous APOE protein measurement |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
Medium |
11038359
|
| 2002 |
Zic2 and Zic1 cooperatively control cerebellar development by regulating neuronal differentiation; compound Zic1+/-/Zic2+/kd mice show cerebellar folial abnormalities with reduced cell proliferation in the external germinal layer, reduced cyclin D1, and enhanced p27/p16 expression. |
Compound mutant mouse genetics, in situ hybridization for zonal markers, immunohistochemistry for cell cycle regulators |
The Journal of neuroscience |
High |
11756505
|
| 2003 |
Zic2 is expressed in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with an uncrossed ipsilateral trajectory; loss- and gain-of-function analyses demonstrate that Zic2 is necessary and sufficient for RGC axon repulsion by cues at the optic chiasm midline, specifying the uncrossed retinal projection. |
In situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, loss-of-function (Zic2 mutant mice), gain-of-function (in vivo electroporation), axon tracing |
Cell |
High |
13678579
|
| 2003 |
Zic2 mutation causes a delay in neural crest production and a decrease in neural crest cell number, and is required for normal hindbrain patterning (rhombomeres 3 and 5); these defects are independent of mediolateral segmentation or dorsal neurectoderm proliferation. |
Loss-of-function Zic2 allele (null); in situ hybridization for neural crest and hindbrain markers |
Developmental biology |
High |
14651926
|
| 2004 |
The C-terminal region of ZIC2 contains both activation and repression domains; the C-terminal alanine tract modulates DNA binding strength and transcriptional activity in a promoter-specific manner, and expansion of the alanine tract associated with HPE alters ZIC2 function. |
In vitro transcriptional activity assays, DNA binding assays with alanine-tract length mutants, analysis of HPE-associated mutations |
Human molecular genetics |
Medium |
15590697
|
| 2007 |
ZIC2-dependent transcriptional regulation involves two high-molecular-weight nuclear complexes: Complex I contains DNA-PKcs, Ku70/80, and PARP; Complex II contains Ku70/80 and RNA helicase A (RHA). DNA-PK phosphorylates Zic2, driving stepwise exchange from Complex I to Complex II; phosphorylated Zic2 forms a stable complex with RHA which can interact with RNA Pol II. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, subnuclear fractionation, in vitro phosphorylation assay, protein complex characterization |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
High |
17251188
|
| 2007 |
Serine 200 of Zic2 is a phosphorylation site targeted by DNA-PK; S200A mutation abolishes RNA helicase A (RHA) binding and diminishes transcriptional activation capacity, establishing phosphorylation-dependent regulation of Zic2 transcriptional activity. |
Site-directed mutagenesis, co-immunoprecipitation, transcriptional reporter assay |
FEBS letters |
Medium |
18068128
|
| 2008 |
Zic2 is required and sufficient to change RGC axon trajectories from crossed to uncrossed; Zic2 regulates EphB1 expression in RGCs (an EphB1-dependent pathway), and also controls axon divergence via an EphB1-independent pathway. |
In vivo gain- and loss-of-function in mouse (electroporation, Zic2 mutants), EphB1 protein expression analysis, axon tracing |
Development (Cambridge, England) |
High |
18417618
|
| 2008 |
Ectopic delivery of Zic2 into non-ventrotemporal retinal explants induces EphB1 mRNA and protein expression in growth cones, and the upregulated EphB1 is functional, switching RGC axon behavior from extension onto to avoidance of ephrinB2 substrates, establishing a direct link between Zic2 transcription factor activity and EphB1-mediated guidance receptor expression. |
Retinal explant electroporation, immunofluorescence for EphB1 protein in growth cones, ephrinB2 substrate avoidance assay |
The Journal of neuroscience |
High |
18524895
|
| 2008 |
Zic2-associated HPE is caused by a transient defect in organizer region function at mid-gastrulation, causing arrest in prechordal plate (PCP) development; this defect precedes the onset of Shh signaling and Zic2 does not interact with Shh to produce HPE. |
Mouse genetics (Zic2 mutants), molecular marker analysis of prechordal plate, genetic epistasis with Shh pathway mutants |
Human molecular genetics |
High |
18617531
|
| 2010 |
Zic2 controls eye-specific axonal refinement at visual targets by directly regulating expression of the serotonin transporter (Sert); RGCs ectopically expressing Zic2 show defects in axonal refinement and respond to pharmacological blockade of Sert, whereas Zic2-negative contralateral RGCs do not. |
Gain-of-function electroporation, pharmacological Sert blockade, axon refinement assays, ChIP/promoter analysis |
The EMBO journal |
High |
20676059
|
| 2011 |
ZIC2 binds directly to the DNA-binding HMG box of TCF4 via its zinc finger domain and inhibits β-catenin·TCF4-mediated transcription without affecting TCF4 DNA binding; Zic2 RNA injection blocks β-catenin-induced axis duplication in Xenopus and inhibits Wnt target gene expression. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter assays, Xenopus axis duplication assay, morpholino knockdown in transgenic Wnt reporter Xenopus |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
High |
21908606
|
| 2011 |
Zic2 physically interacts with Gli1 and retains Gli1 in the nucleus, increasing Gli-mediated transcriptional activity; deletion of the C-terminal zinc finger domain of Zic2 abrogates Gli1 interaction and nuclear retention, as well as oncogenic properties in cervical cancer cells. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, subcellular fractionation, immunofluorescence, luciferase reporter assay, gain- and loss-of-function |
The Journal of pathology |
Medium |
21661123
|
| 2011 |
Zic2 and Zic1 act as coactivators of Gli-dependent Myf5 epaxial somite-specific enhancer activity; Zic2 co-immunoprecipitates with Gli2, indicating formation of Zic2-Gli2 complexes that promote Myf5 expression. Myf5 expression in newly forming somites is delayed in Zic2 mutant embryos. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, reporter assays in cell lines, presomitic mesoderm explants, in situ hybridization in Zic2 mutant embryos |
Developmental biology |
Medium |
21211521
|
| 2013 |
Zic2 determines axonal ipsilaterality in ascending dorsospinal tracts and rostromedial thalamocortical projections by inducing EphA4 expression to prevent midline crossing, and by downregulating Robo3 to ensure axons enter dorsal tracts. |
In vivo gain- and loss-of-function (electroporation, conditional KO), axon tracing, immunofluorescence, gene expression analysis |
Neuron |
High |
24360543
|
| 2014 |
Zic2 controls formation and function of node cilia during gastrulation to establish cardiac situs; Zic2 mutant embryos have dysmorphic, short node cilia and depleted expression of ciliogenesis regulators Noto, Rfx3, Foxj1, and Pkd1l1 at the mid-gastrula node. |
Mouse genetics (Zic2 mutants), electron microscopy of node cilia, in situ hybridization for ciliogenesis transcription factors |
Genesis |
Medium |
24585447
|
| 2015 |
Zic2 preferentially binds transcriptional enhancers genome-wide in embryonic stem cells and functions with the Mbd3/NuRD complex to regulate chromatin state and transcriptional output of differentiation-linked genes; Zic2 is required for proper ESC differentiation. |
ChIP-seq, genome-wide molecular studies, biochemical interaction with Mbd3/NuRD, loss-of-function in ESCs |
Molecular cell |
High |
25699711
|
| 2015 |
ZIC2 acts upstream of OCT4 in liver cancer stem cells; ZIC2 recruits the NURF chromatin remodeling complex to the OCT4 promoter to initiate OCT4 transcriptional activation, thereby maintaining CSC self-renewal. |
ChIP assay, promoter reporter assay, co-immunoprecipitation, knockdown/overexpression with sphere formation and xenograft readouts |
The Journal of clinical investigation |
Medium |
26426078
|
| 2015 |
Zic2 controls migration of three distinct forebrain neuron populations (Cajal-Retzius cells, an amygdaloid cell group from the caudal pallium, and cells from the prethalamic neuroepithelium to the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus); EphB1, a Zic2 transcriptional target, mediates at least part of Zic2-dependent migratory events. |
Zic2 conditional and hypomorphic mutant mice, in vivo cell tracking, in utero electroporation, immunofluorescence |
The Journal of neuroscience |
Medium |
26269635
|
| 2016 |
ZIC2 physically interacts with SMAD2 and SMAD3 (the receptor-activated NODAL signal transducers) and together SMAD3 and ZIC2 regulate FOXA2 transcription; ZIC2 therefore acts downstream of the NODAL signal during prechordal plate development, and HPE-associated ZIC2 variants are deficient in SMAD-dependent transcription. |
Co-immunoprecipitation (ZIC2-SMAD2/3), luciferase reporter assays (FOXA2 promoter), Xenopus developmental assays, mutagenesis of HPE-associated ZIC2 variants |
Human molecular genetics |
High |
27466203
|
| 2017 |
Zic2 directly binds the PAK4 promoter and transcriptionally activates PAK4 expression; PAK4 then modulates cell growth via the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway downstream of Zic2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. |
ChIP assay, luciferase reporter assay, knockdown/rescue experiments, pathway inhibition |
Cancer letters |
Medium |
28577975
|
| 2017 |
ZIC2 is a substrate of the KSHV K-Rta E3 ubiquitin ligase; K-Rta directly interacts with ZIC2 and ubiquitinates it. ZIC2 localizes to immediate early and early gene cluster regions of the KSHV genome, tethers polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) through physical interaction, and maintains H3K27me3 marks at the K-Rta promoter to sustain viral latency. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination assay, ChIP-seq, PRC2 interaction assay, ZIC2 depletion experiments |
Journal of virology |
Medium |
28835494
|
| 2017 |
ZIC2 in ChIP-seq of epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) preferentially binds enhancers that regulate transcription factor genes; ZIC2 binding at enhancers in ESCs primes these regions for later OTX2/ZIC2-dependent activation in EpiSCs, representing a shift from SOX2/POU5F1 in ESCs to ZIC2/OTX2 as major acting TFs in EpiSCs. |
ChIP-seq with in vivo biotinylated ZIC2, OTX2, SOX2, POU5F1, POU3F1 in EpiSCs |
Development (Cambridge, England) |
High |
28455373
|
| 2018 |
ZIC2 directly binds a low-affinity binding site in the Nodal enhancer HBE (normally active in node precursor cells) and is required for Nodal expression at the node; loss of Zic2 prevents activation of the NODAL-dependent left-determining cascade in the lateral plate mesoderm. |
ChIP-seq data analysis, in vitro transcriptional assays, mutagenesis of ZIC2 binding sites, mouse Zic2 mutant gene expression analysis, 3D organ imaging |
Scientific reports |
Medium |
29992973
|
| 2018 |
ZIC2 directly regulates Tgif1 (another HPE-causative gene) expression; Zic2-binding sites (ZBS) on the 5' flanking region of Tgif1 were identified by ChIP and in vitro DNA binding assays, and are essential for Zic2-dependent transcriptional activation. Zic2 shows higher affinity to ZBS than GLI-binding sequences. |
Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), in vitro DNA binding assay, luciferase reporter assay with ZBS mutations |
Scientific reports |
Medium |
29391420
|
| 2018 |
A Zic2 missense mutation (R409P) in the zinc finger domain found in schizophrenia patients shows lowered transcription-activating capacity, impaired target DNA-binding, and impaired co-factor-binding, linking zinc finger domain integrity to Zic2 transcriptional function. |
Luciferase reporter assay, DNA binding assay, co-factor binding assay with mutant Zic2 protein |
Scientific reports |
Medium |
22355535
|
| 2019 |
Zfp281 stabilizes Zic2 at enhancers and promoters in epiblast stem cells; Ehmt1 (H3K9 methyltransferase) and Zic2 act downstream of Zfp281 to drive exit from the ESC naive state and restrict reprogramming of EpiSCs to naive state. |
Comparative CRISPR screening in ESCs and EpiSCs, gain- and loss-of-function genetics, chromatin binding analysis |
The EMBO journal |
Medium |
31782544
|
| 2020 |
Zic2 switches the Wnt5a-triggered alternative (non-canonical) Wnt pathway in ipsilateral retinal neurons by regulating expression of Wnt receptors and intracellular proteins; in combination with EphB1 receptor activation at the midline, βcatenin is phosphorylated to elicit axon repulsion. |
In vivo gain- and loss-of-function (electroporation, Zic2 conditional KO), transcriptomic analysis of Wnt receptor expression, axon tracing |
Science advances |
Medium |
33188033
|
| 2020 |
ZIC2 directly binds the STAT3 promoter and represses STAT3 transcription; ZIC2 knockdown induces STAT3 expression and increases phosphorylated STAT3 levels, and ZIC2's tumor suppressive function in breast cancer is mediated through STAT3 regulation. |
ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, luciferase reporter assay, siRNA knockdown/STAT3 inhibitor rescue |
International journal of cancer |
Medium |
32064600
|
| 2020 |
ZIC2 is identified as an essential gene for cardiac progenitor formation by genome-wide CRISPR screen; ZIC2 mutant hPSCs retain pluripotency markers but fail to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, instead switching to non-cardiac lineages, with disruption of apelin receptor-related signaling during mesoderm formation. |
Genome-wide CRISPR-knockout screen in hPSCs, stage-specific marker analysis (MESP1, ISL1), RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq |
Stem cells |
Medium |
32129551
|
| 2020 |
SOX2 and ZIC2 combinatorially activate the Sox2 D1 enhancer in embryonic neural tube and neural crest; both TFs bind the D1 enhancer sequence (confirmed by ChIP), and their co-expression activates the enhancer in both neural tube and neural crest contexts. |
Chicken embryo electroporation, TF binding site mutagenesis, ChIP analysis |
Genes to cells |
Medium |
31997540
|
| 2021 |
ZIC2 directly binds the Axin2 promoter to transcriptionally repress Axin2 expression, leading to accumulation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin; ZIC2 also physically interacts with β-catenin, providing multilevel enhancement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colon cancer. |
ChIP assay, luciferase reporter assay, co-immunoprecipitation, loss-of-function with β-catenin protein level and nuclear translocation analysis |
Cell death & disease |
Medium |
34099631
|
| 2021 |
ZIC2 transcriptionally activates Src expression; silencing ZIC2 inactivates Src/FAK signaling and reduces anoikis resistance of NSCLC cells, placing ZIC2 upstream of Src/FAK pathway in lung cancer. |
ChIP assay, luciferase reporter assay, siRNA knockdown, in vitro anoikis assay, in vivo xenograft |
Molecular therapy oncolytics |
Medium |
34514099
|
| 2021 |
ZIC2 directly binds the SNHG12 lncRNA promoter and activates SNHG12 transcription; ZIC2-driven SNHG12 upregulation activates Notch signaling to promote endometrial cancer cell proliferation and migration. |
ChIP assay, dual luciferase reporter assay, knockdown/overexpression with functional cell assays |
Molecular medicine reports |
Low |
34278490
|
| 2023 |
ZIC2 positively regulates RUNX2 transcription in clear cell renal cell carcinoma; increased ZIC2 drives upregulation of Runx2 and downstream oncogenic functions including downregulation of NOLC1 and activation of AKT/mTOR signaling. ZIC2 expression is regulated by promoter hypomethylation and H3K4me3, and by positive transcriptional regulation from FOXM1. |
RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-PCR, MS-PCR (methylation), luciferase reporter, loss-of-function/gain-of-function |
International journal of biological sciences |
Medium |
37496990
|
| 2023 |
ZIC2 activates JUNB promoter activity (confirmed by ChIP-seq and ChIP-qPCR) and drives MCSF secretion from NPC cells via JUNB, inducing M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages; blockade of JUNB or MCSF reverses ZIC2-mediated macrophage polarization. |
ChIP-seq, ChIP-qPCR, luciferase assay, RNA-seq, knockdown/overexpression with macrophage polarization assay |
Cell death & disease |
Medium |
37479694
|
| 2023 |
BMP signaling is overactivated in Zic2 (Kumba) mutant mouse embryos, causing failed dorsolateral hinge point formation and spina bifida; RhoA/actomyosin signaling is also overactivated, causing F-actin accumulation. BMP inhibitor (dorsomorphin) rescues DLHP formation, and myosin inhibitor (Blebbistatin) normalizes actomyosin accumulation, revealing a dual-pathway mechanism. |
Mouse mutant embryo culture with pharmacological inhibitors (dorsomorphin, Blebbistatin), immunofluorescence for actomyosin, neural tube morphology analysis |
Disease models & mechanisms |
Medium |
36916392
|
| 2024 |
ARID1A-BAF chromatin remodeler regulates ZIC2 genomic occupancy at EMT enhancers during cranial neural crest specification; in ARID1A-haploinsufficient cells, ZIC2 is excluded from EMT enhancers and relocates to neuronal enhancers. ZIC2 binding at EMT enhancers is ARID1A-dependent. In vivo, deletion of Zic2 impairs NCC delamination, while ZIC2 overexpression in chick embryos elicits ectopic neural crest delamination. |
CSS patient iPSC-derived CNCC differentiation, ChIP-seq (ARID1A, ZIC2), ATACseq, gain-of-function in chick (electroporation), Zic2 mouse KO NCC delamination analysis |
American journal of human genetics |
High |
39226899
|
| 2024 |
ZIC2 and ZIC3 recruit SWI/SNF to primed-specific enhancers to activate them during human primed pluripotency; loss of ZIC2/ZIC3 prevents enhancer activation similarly to SWI/SNF degradation, and also results in perturbed Polycomb activity and aberrant differentiation toward mesendoderm. |
Multi-omic analysis (ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, RNA-seq) in hESC models across peri-implantation spectrum, loss-of-function of ZIC2/ZIC3, SWI/SNF degradation experiments |
Nature communications |
High |
39358345
|