As a transcriptional co-activator, YAP regulates transcription mainly through interacting with DNA-binding transcription factors (TEAD1-4) because of the lack of a DNA-binding domain.31 To elucidate if YAP-induced transcriptional function was crucial for stemness-related genes expression, TEAD1-4 were knocked down with their specific siRNAs in indicated ESCC cells, which reduced the protein expression of YAP targeted genes, including SOX9, SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG (Fig. 2k, l). The gene discussed is NANOG; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.