DLL4

Delta-like protein 4 (DLL4), also known as AOS6 or hdelta2, is a protein encoded by the DLL4 gene in humans. DLL4 is a crucial Notch ligand needed for vascular development. The predicted protein sequences for DLL4 displays the features of the Delta family of Notch ligands. Its extracellular region comprises 8 EGF-like repeats, and a DSL domain which is conserved among all Notch ligands and is essential for receptor binding. Also, it comprises a transmembrane region, and a cytoplasmic tail lacking any catalytic motifs. However, the absence of insertions between the EGF-like repeats and the lack of an extracellular cysteine-rich domain clearly distinguish DLL4 from the Jagged family of ligands.
DLL4 enables to activate NOTCH1 and NOTCH4. It is also associated with angiogenesis, negatively modulates endothelial cell proliferation and migration and angiogenic sprouting. Importantly, DLL4 serves an important role in suppressing rod fates in late retinal progenitors as well as in proper production of other retinal cell types (By similarity). In addition, it has been proven to express in cervical cancer and is crucial for retinal progenitor proliferation.
Gene ID: 54567
UniProt ID: Q9NR61