Predicted to enable DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific and RNA polymerase II cis-regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding activity. Involved in anterior/posterior pattern specification; negative regulation of gene expression; and nematode male tail tip morphogenesis. Acts upstream of or within epidermal cell fate specification. Predicted to be active in nucleus. Is expressed in several structures, including intestine; nervous system; pharynx; seam cell; and uterus. Orthologous to human HES1 (hes family bHLH transcription factor 1).
WB Description
lin-22 encodes a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)-containing protein that is homologous to the Drosophila hairy/Enhancer of split transcriptional repressors; during postembryonic development, lin-22 activity is required for patterning of midbody epidermal and neuronal lineages.