Proteins transcription factors

The lack of zinc can also be a problem in biological systems and is responsible for disease states. For example, nitric oxide-dependent apoptosis can be induced in motor neurons by zinc-deficient SOD, and in some cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, zinc-deficient SOD may participate in this type of oxidative mechanism involving nitric oxide.969 One form of hereditary human hair loss or alopecia was mapped to a specific gene and a mutation found in affected individuals. The gene encodes a single zinc finger transcription factor protein with restricted expression in the brain and skin.970 Zinc has been implicated in Alzheimer s via beta amyloid formation, and a role has been attributed for the cerebral zinc metabolism in the neuropathogenesis of Alzheimer s disease.971... 

Discuss the roles of the following proteins in development receptors, transcription factors, protein kinases, histones, DNA methylases, adhesion molecules, ubiquitin. How do small RNA molecules participate in development ... 

After the discovery of catalytic RNA nearly 30 years ago, and after the initial excitement wore off, RNA was viewed predominantly as an ancient biological macromolecule with vestigial, albeit critical, functions in modern-day biology. Thus, while important and informative, studies of RNA behavior and function took a back seat to the interrogation of transcription factors, protein kinases, and other molecules directly involved in the regulation of gene expression. 

It is already well known that bioactive food compounds can interact with genes affecting transcription factors, protein expression, and metabolite production. The study of these complex interactions requires the development of advanced analytical approaches combined with bioinformatics. Thus, to carry out these studies transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics approaches are now being employed together with an adequate integration of the information that... 

Both a and P subunits of HIF are basic helix-loop-helix PAS proteins (bHLH-PAS) (6, 7), as observed in other transcription-factor proteins (Fig. 2). The short, basic region of bHLH-PAS proteins is directly responsible for DNA binding, and the adjacent helix-loop-helix domain allows dimerization of the two HIF subunits after translocation of HIF-a to the nucleus. The PAS domain [PAS-A/PAS-B/PAC PAS PER (periodic circadian protein), aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT), single-minded protein (SIM) (7) PAC motif C-terminal to PAS motifs) is involved in more specific interactions between the two subunits (for review see Reference 8). It is proposed that the specific interaction between the HIF-a and HIF-P subunits promotes folding and dimerization of the bHLH region that enables subsequent DNA binding (8). HIF-a is a Class 1 bHLH-PAS protein, which means that it can homodimer-ize and heterodimerize HIF-3 (also known as ARNT, which is... 

We then turn to transcription in eukaryotes, beginning with promoter structure and the transcription-factor proteins that regulate promoter activity. A distinctive feature of eukaryotic DNA templates is the presence of enhancer sequences that... 

A small number of soluble, intracellular proteins are glycoproteins, and these include some of the transcription factors (proteins used for regulating the rate of transcription). 

Hai T, Hartman MG (2001) The molecular biology and nomenclature of the activating transcription factor/cAMP responsive element binding family of transcription factors activating transcription factor proteins and homeostasis. Gene 273( 1 ) 1-11... 

Werner, M.H. and Burley, S.K. (1997) Architectural transcription factors proteins that remodel DNA. Cell, 88, 733-736. 

For proteins, structure corresponds to activity. If thiols influence the structure of proteins, then they also affect their activity. In other words, the oxidation state of thiols can act as a molecular switch for thiol-containing proteins, turning their activity on and off. The list of proteins with sensitive thiol groups is growing all the time, and is now known to include some of the most important transcription factors (proteins that bind to DNA and stimulate the transcription of genes to produce new proteins). Whether these factors bind to DNA or not, even whether they journey into the nucleus at all, depends on the status of their thiol groups. 

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