ZNF121 Gene - Zinc Finger Protein 121 | Function, Mutations & Disease

ZNF121 (zinc finger protein 121) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 19q13.43. It encodes a member of the Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) domain-containing zinc finger protein family, which functions as a transcription repressor. The protein contains multiple C2H2-type zinc finger domains and a KRAB domain, suggesting a role in regulating gene expression through chromatin remodeling and transcriptional silencing. ZNF121 is expressed in various tissues and has been implicated in cancer biology, though its precise physiological functions remain under investigation.

Tissue Expression

Cell Line Expression

Hotspot Mutations

Mutation functional classification

• No specific curated pathways for ZNF121 in major databases (KEGG

• Reactome).

ZNF121 is a 544-amino acid protein containing a KRAB domain at the N-terminus and 13 C2H2-type zinc finger motifs. The KRAB domain mediates transcriptional repression through recruitment of co-repressor complexes such as KAP1/TRIM28, while the zinc fingers facilitate sequence-specific DNA binding. The protein is localized to the nucleus and is thought to regulate genes involved in cell differentiation and proliferation. Its expression is detected in multiple tissues, with highest levels in testis. Structural studies suggest that ZNF121 may bind to GC-rich DNA sequences, but specific target genes remain largely unidentified.