The TEAD family (also known as TEF family) transcription factors play a key role in the Hippo signaling pathway, a pathway involved in organ size control and tumour suppression by restricting proliferation and promoting apoptosis. The core of this pathway is composed of a kinase cascade wherein MST1/MST2, in complex with its regulatory protein SAV1, phosphorylates and activates LATS1/2 in complex with its regulatory protein MOB1, which in turn phosphorylates and inactivates YAP1 oncoprotein and WWTR1/TAZ. TEAD transcription factors act by mediating gene expression of YAP1 and WWTR1/TAZ, thereby regulating cell proliferation, migration and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) induction [, ].Four TEAD genes exist in mammals (TEAD 1 to 4). TEAD3 (transcriptional enhancer factor TEF-5) has a role in placental development [].
