V-Maf Musculoaponeurotic Fibrosarcoma Oncogene Homolog F (MAFF)

MAFF is a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor that lacks a transactivation domain. It is known to bind the US-2 DNA element in the promoter of the oxytocin receptor gene and most likely heterodimerizes with other leucine zipper-containing proteins to enhance expression of the OTR gene during term pregnancy. The encoded protein can also form homodimers, and since it lacks a transactivation domain, the homodimer may act as a repressor of transcription. This gene may also be involved in the cellular stress response. Two transcript variants encoding the same protein have been found for this gene.Human MAFF encodes a deduced 164-amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 17.8 kD. Like other small MAF proteins, it contains an extended leucine zipper structure and lacks an N-terminal transactivating domain.