Max-like protein X (Max-like bHLHZip protein, BigMax protein, protein Mlx, transcription factor-like protein 4, MLX, TCFL4)

Function

• transcription regulator
• forms a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein complexes with MAD1, MAD4, MNT & WBSCR14 which recognizes the core sequence 5'-CACGTG-3'
• the TCFL4-MAD1, TCFL4-MAD4, TCFL4-WBSCR14 complexes are transcriptional repressors.
• efficient DNA binding requires dimerization with another bHLH protein
• binds DNA as a heterodimer with MAD1, MAD4, MNT & WBSCR14
• can also bind DNA as a homodimer

Structure

• contains 1 basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) domain

Compartment

• isoforms alpha & beta: cytoplasm
• isoform gamma: nucleus

Alternative splicing

named isoforms=3

Expression

• expressed in all tissues tested, including spleen, thymus, prostate, ovary, intestine, colon, peripheral blood leukocyte, heart, liver, skeletal muscle & kidney
• lower levels of expression in testis, brain, placenta, lung

More general terms

• DNA-binding protein

Database

• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/602976
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9UH92.html