ZIC3 is a member of the Zinc finger of the cerebellum (ZIC) protein family.^[5][6]

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ZIC3
Available structures PDB Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB List of PDB id codes 2EJ4, 2RPC
Identifiers
Aliases	ZIC3, HTX, HTX1, VACTERLX, ZNF203, Zic family member 3
External IDs	OMIM: 300265; MGI: 106676; HomoloGene: 55742; GeneCards: ZIC3; OMA:ZIC3 - orthologs
Gene location (Human) Chr. X chromosome (human)[1] Band Xq26.3 Start 137,566,127 bp[1] End 137,577,691 bp[1]
Gene location (Mouse) Chr. X chromosome (mouse)[2] Band X A6|X 32.56 cM Start 57,068,060 bp[2] End 57,087,096 bp[2]
RNA expression pattern Bgee Human Mouse (ortholog) Top expressed in right hemisphere of cerebellum testicle paraflocculus of cerebellum ventricular zone cerebellar vermis embryo ganglionic eminence optic nerve C1 segment hypothalamus Top expressed in primitive streak ciliary body iris habenula fossa olfactory bulb hand optic nerve dermis pineal gland More reference expression data BioGPS More reference expression data
Gene ontology Molecular function protein binding DNA binding nucleic acid binding sequence-specific DNA binding metal ion binding DNA-binding transcription factor activity DNA-binding transcription activator activity, RNA polymerase II-specific RNA polymerase II cis-regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding RNA polymerase II transcription regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific Cellular component cytoplasm nucleus nucleoplasm Biological process determination of left/right symmetry somatic stem cell population maintenance determination of pancreatic left/right asymmetry nervous system development determination of digestive tract left/right asymmetry multicellular organism development heart looping cell differentiation regulation of transcription, DNA-templated anterior/posterior pattern specification determination of liver left/right asymmetry pattern specification process transcription, DNA-templated lung development determination of left/right asymmetry in nervous system positive regulation of transcription, DNA-templated positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II transcription by RNA polymerase II central nervous system development Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs Species Human Mouse Entrez 7547 22773 Ensembl ENSG00000156925 ENSMUSG00000067860 UniProt O60481 Q62521 RefSeq (mRNA) NM_003413 NM_001330661 NM_009575 RefSeq (protein) NP_001317590 NP_003404 NP_033601 Location (UCSC) Chr X: 137.57 – 137.58 Mb Chr X: 57.07 – 57.09 Mb PubMed search [3] [4]
Wikidata
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ZIC3 is classified as a ZIC protein due to conservation of the five C2H2 zinc fingers, which enables the protein to interact with DNA and proteins. Correct function of this protein family in critical for early development, and as such mutations of the genes encoding these proteins is known to result in various congenital defects. For example, mutation of ZIC3 is associated with heterotaxy,^[7][8] that is thought to occur due to the role of ZIC3 in initial left-right symmetry formation, which involves the maintaining redistributed Nodal after the asymmetry of the embryo is initially broken.^[9] Mutation of ZIC3 is also associated with various heart defects, such as heart looping, however these are thought to represent a mild form of heterotaxy. Mouse based studies have linked defective ZIC3 with neural tube defects (spina bifida and exencephaly) and skeletal defects ^[10] as well indicated a role for Zic3 in neural crest specification. ^[11] Both the left-right defects and the neural tube defects caused by loss of Zic3 have been linked to defective planar cell polarity. ^[12]

ZIC3 is also of particular interest as it has been shown to be required for maintenance of embryonic stem cell pluripotency.^[13]

ZIC2, another member of the ZIC family, has recently been found to interact with TCF7L2, enabling it to act as a Wnt/β-catenin signalling inhibitor.^[14] Further experiments have indicated that human ZIC3 is also able to inhibit Wnt signalling and that the Zinc finger domains are absolutely critical for this role.^[15] Such a role is of critical importance, as not only is correct Wnt signalling critical for early development,^[16] Wnt signalling has also been found to be upregulated to several cancers. In addition Zic3 inhibition of canonical Wnt has recently been shown to have a role in specification of the neural crest in mice.^[17]