Hormones specificity/selectivity

Verrijdt G, Haelens A, Claessens F. Selective DNA recognition by the androgen receptor as a mechanism for hormone-specific regulation of gene expression. Mol GenetMetab. 2003 78 175-185. 

Herbert Oberlander coordinated the section that features chapters on sac-specific selection using chimeric genes potential applications of neuroendocrine research to insect control insect cuticle structure and metabolism molecular aspects of immune mechanisms in insects molecular genetics of nerve insensitivity resistance to insecticides and inhibition of juvenile hormone esterase by transition-state analogs. 

From the previous discussion it is clear that the creation of mutants in arabidopsis is not the rate limiting step in plant hormone research. More crucial is the problem of how to combine a mutagenesis method with a specific selection scheme for mutants that are impaired in their response to a plant hormone. The different strategies that have been used and their effectiveness in helping to elucidate the plant hormone signalling pathways are presented and discussed below. 

Beside the functional analysis, specific selection techniques have been developed in yeast to identify transcription factors that bind to hormone responsive elements in plant promoters or interacting partners of known components in phytohormone signalling. These techniques are based on the fact that transcription factors consist of two separate domains, a DNA binding domain (DNA-BD) and a transcription activation domain (AD). 

By selectively affecting gene transcription and the consequent production of appropriate target mRNAs, the amounts of specific proteins are changed and metabolic processes are influenced. The influence of each of these hormones is quite specific generally, the hormone affects less than 1% of the genes, mRNA, or proteins in a target cell sometimes only a few are affected. The nuclear actions of steroid, thyroid, and retinoid hormones are quite well defined. Most evidence sug-... 

The assessment of patients for thyroid disorders entails a history and physical examination. In many patients with subclinical or mild thyroid disease, there may be an absence of specific signs and symptoms, and the physical examination may be normal. Various diagnostic tests can be used, including serum thyroid hormone(s), TSH, and thyroid antibody levels and imaging techniques to evaluate patients for thyroid disorders. Normal values for selected laboratory tests are given in Table 41-1. 

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