Spans 11 kb; five exons; 4 CDS exons.

Full length transcript of 4.1 kb, open reading frame 849 bp. There are at least three alternative splice transcripts.

Full length transcript encodes a 283 amino acids protein, 42 kDa, with a 201 amino acids transactivation domain and an 82 amino acids DNA binding domain with 3 C2H2 zinc fingers. There is at least one putative nuclear localization signal immediately 5 to the DNA binding domain.
There are at least three alternative splice transcripts encoding proteins of 195 (KLF6-SV1), 237 (KLF6-SV3), and 241 amino acids (KLF6-SV2).
Several post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, ubiquitinylation, acetylation are suggested based on encoded protein sequence motifs.

Ubiquitously expressed in adult tissues, restricted during embryogenesis but includes placenta, neural and non-neural tissues, and cornea. Full-length KLF6 downregulated in many human cancers (see below). Expression pattern of KLF6 splice variants may be upregulated.

Found in both nucleus and cytoplasm, but predominantly nuclear. Splice variants SV1 and SV2 primarily cytoplasmic and believed to be the result of loss of nuclear localization signal (NLS). Splice variant 3 retains the NLS.

Tumor suppressor gene, immediate early gene in tissue injury and fibrosis, during adenoviral and pseudomonas infections and during ischemic reperfusion in kidney.
Transactivator of multiple target genes including p21, TGFbeta1, TGFbeta receptors type II and TGFbeta receptors type III, human keratin 4 and 12 genes: inducible nitric oxide synthase, endoglin, insulin-like growth factor receptor 1, multi-drug resistance transporters, E-cadherin, leukotriene C(4)(LTC4S), laminin 111, acid ceramidase, alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor.
Suppresses growth by inducing p21, sequestering cyclin D1 and/or inhibiting c-jun oncogene.
Promotes differentiation of preadipocytes to adipocytes in culture and hepatocytes in vivo.
Contributes to fetal development of mouse cornea and lens; and immune and hematopoietic systems by contributing to hemangioblast phenotype.
Interacts with the core promoter element of a TATA box-less gene.
Induces apoptosis of lung cancer cells.

The 47 N-terminal amino acids are identical to KLF7, and the 82 amino acids DNA binding domain highly homologous to other members of the KLF family. Also homologous to the Drosophila Luna gene.

None identified to date. However, a germline single nucleotide intronic polymorphism (IVS1-27 G > A) has been identified that creates a novel SRp40 DNA binding site, therby increasing the generation of three alternatively spliced mRNAs, and which is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Other low frequency coding and non-coding SNPs have been identified.

A number of somatic mutations were originally identified in prostate cancer and shown to result in loss of function. These include Trp64Arg, Ser116Pro, Ala123Asp and Ser137X.