ZNF768 regulates expression of E2F proteins to drive G0/G1 transition and cell cycle progression.

Recently, Zinc finger protein 768 (ZNF768) was identified as a transcription factor driving cellular proliferation, in both a p53 dependentt and independent manner. ZNF768 interacts with and represses p53 functions to limit cell cycle delay.

Independently, ZNF768 promotes the transcriptional expression of key regulators of the cell cycle machinery, although the mechanism(s) through which this occurs are still unknown. Here, we report that ZNF768 protein levels are tightly regulated during the cell cycle, and its depletion leads to cell cycle exit and induction of quiescence. We found that ZNF768 modulates the cell cycle, at least in part, by controlling expression of the major pro-proliferative transcription factor E2F1 independently of p53 activation.