Transcriptional Factors And Regulators
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by: StephenJones
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Word Count: 306
All the cellular processes in living cells such as growth,
development, morphogenesis and cellular differentiation are a product of gene
expression programs involving complicated transcriptional regulation of several
genes. This process of transcriptional regulation is tightly controlled and
coordinated by proteins called transcriptional regulators. These
transcriptional regulators and factors are DNA-binding proteins that bind to
the promoter or enhancer sequences on the DNA and facilitate either
transcriptional repression or activation.
There are three principal types of transcription factors.
These include basal transcription factors, upstream transcription factors and
inducible transcription factors. The basic structure of every transcriptional
factor mainly contains a DNA-binding domain and an activator domain. DNA-binding
motifs found in transcription factors include zinc-finger, helix-loop-helix,
helix-turn-helix, leucine zipper and high-mobility groups, based on which
transcription factors are classified. The activator domain of these
transcription factors interacts with components of transcription machinery such
as RNA polymerases and associated transcription regulators.
Regulation of transcriptional factors is a complex mechanism
that ensures exact spatio-temporal expression of genes. In response to a
specific cellular stimulus, these trans-regulatory factors are activated in a
sequential manner. Upon activation, these factors recruit transcriptional
co-regulators such as histones that function as co-activators or co- repressors
and aid in modifying chromatin structure. Altered activation of these
regulators is often associated with various pathologies such as chronic
disorders and malignancies. Recent studies are concentrating on developing
improved disease treatment strategies through identification of different
transcription factor-binding patterns and blocking them.
There are several families of trans-regulatory factors that
control critical cellular signaling cascades involved in cell proliferation,
survival, lineage development and cellular differentiation. These include
Rel/NF-kB family, AP-1 family, STAT family of transcription factors,
homeodomain proteins, DNA-binding proteins, POU transcription factors, nuclear
hormone receptor family, p53 family and E2F family.
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