[Genetic transcription in eukaryotes: from transcriptional factors to disease]

The organisms' genetic information is stored as DNA sequences: the genes. The most important level of gene expression regulation is exerted at the transfer process of this information from the genes into messenger RNA molecules; this process is called transcription and is carried out by a molecular machinery conformed by hundreds of different proteins which are assembled in an ordered step way. These proteins or transcriptional factors are classified according to their mode of action in 4 groups: general transcriptional factors, activators, coactivators and repressors. There are diseases like. Aniridia, the Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome and Hodgkin's disease, in which some transcriptional factor have been involved and in some, the molecular cause i.e. the mutations responsible for the molecular dysfunction in a transcriptional factor has been elucidated. Understanding at the molecular level the transcription process will help to comprehend the relationship of it with the development and health of the organism.