The 9aaTAD activation domains in the four Yamanaka Oct4, Sox2, Myc, and Klf4 transcription factors essential during the stem cell development

Somatic cells can be reprogrammed by the Yamanaka factors Oct4, Sox2, Myc and Klf4 activators into induced pluripotent stem cells. Throughout their genome, the Oct4, Sox2 and Klf4 cooperate with mediators of transcription, where the DNA binding sites serve as scaffolds for the phase-separated transcriptional condensates at distinct genome loci. In this study, we identified the 9aaTAD activation domains as the common interaction interface of the Yamanaka factors for transcription machinery. All four activation domains were identified by our online 9aaTAD prediction service and experimentally confirmed as strong activators of transcription. We considered the mediator interactions granted by 9aaTADs as part of the Yamanaka factors ability to reprogram cell fate.