Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Protein and Protein Structure02:15

Protein and Protein Structure

71.2K
Proteins are one of the most abundant organic molecules in living systems and have the most diverse range of functions of all macromolecules. Proteins may be structural, regulatory, contractile, or protective. They may serve in transport, storage, or membranes; or they may be toxins or enzymes. Their structures, like their functions, vary greatly. They are all, however, amino acid polymers arranged in a linear sequence.
A protein's shape is critical to its function. For example, an enzyme...
71.2K
Conserved Binding Sites01:49

Conserved Binding Sites

4.1K
Many proteins’ biological role depends on their interactions with their ligands, small molecules that bind to specific locations on the protein known as ligand-binding sites. Ligand-binding sites are often conserved among homologous proteins as these sites are critical for protein function.
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally...
4.1K
The Nucleosome Core Particle02:10

The Nucleosome Core Particle

12.1K
Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
The paradox
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their main responsibility is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. While on the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access DNA...
12.1K
DNA Helicases00:55

DNA Helicases

19.3K
DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...
19.3K
Eukaryotic Transcription Activators02:42

Eukaryotic Transcription Activators

10.4K
Transcription activators are proteins that promote the transcription of genes from DNA to RNA. In most cases, these proteins contain two separate domains ‒ a domain that binds to DNA and a domain for activating transcription; however, in some cases, a single domain is responsible for both binding and activation of transcription, as seen in the glucocorticoid receptor and MyoD.
The binding domains are capable of recognizing and interacting with regulatory sequences on the DNA. These...
10.4K
The Nucleosome Core Particle01:12

The Nucleosome Core Particle

2.6K
Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...
2.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Host plant selects bacterial rhizosphere microbiome function whereas community structure is determined by soil legacy.

ISME communications·2026
Same author

Correction: Introducing the UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank data resource, AgMicrobiomeBase, with case studies and methods on metabarcoding analyses.

Environmental microbiome·2026
Same author

Voices of our past editors.

Nature microbiology·2026
Same author

Providing tailored support to neurodivergent nursing students during their placements.

Nursing standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)·2026
Same author

Co-Producing Personalised Discharge Planning: Developing a Toolkit to Improve Caregiver Involvement in Hospital Transitions.

Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy·2025
Same author

Neuronal plasticity at puberty in mouse hypothalamic <i>Kiss1</i> neurons that control fertility.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA
16:24

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA

Published on: April 26, 2013

20.3K

An overview of the basic helix-loop-helix proteins.

Susan Jones1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK. S.Jones@sussex.ac.uk

Genome Biology
|June 10, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Basic helix-loop-helix proteins are crucial dimeric transcription factors in eukaryotes. They regulate key animal embryonic development processes, including neurogenesis and heart formation.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins are a large family of transcription factors conserved across eukaryotes.
  • These proteins function as dimers to bind DNA and regulate gene expression.
  • In animals, bHLH proteins play critical roles in cellular differentiation and tissue development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the fundamental characteristics and biological significance of basic helix-loop-helix proteins.
  • To highlight their established roles in animal embryonic development.
  • To underscore their importance in key developmental processes such as neurogenesis, myogenesis, heart development, and hematopoiesis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on bHLH proteins.

More Related Videos

Direct Protein Delivery to Mammalian Cells Using Cell-permeable Cys2-His2 Zinc-finger Domains
11:24

Direct Protein Delivery to Mammalian Cells Using Cell-permeable Cys2-His2 Zinc-finger Domains

Published on: March 25, 2015

9.6K
Tools to Study the Role of Architectural Protein HMGB1 in the Processing of Helix Distorting, Site-specific DNA Interstrand Crosslinks
12:19

Tools to Study the Role of Architectural Protein HMGB1 in the Processing of Helix Distorting, Site-specific DNA Interstrand Crosslinks

Published on: November 10, 2016

7.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA
16:24

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA

Published on: April 26, 2013

20.3K
Direct Protein Delivery to Mammalian Cells Using Cell-permeable Cys2-His2 Zinc-finger Domains
11:24

Direct Protein Delivery to Mammalian Cells Using Cell-permeable Cys2-His2 Zinc-finger Domains

Published on: March 25, 2015

9.6K
Tools to Study the Role of Architectural Protein HMGB1 in the Processing of Helix Distorting, Site-specific DNA Interstrand Crosslinks
12:19

Tools to Study the Role of Architectural Protein HMGB1 in the Processing of Helix Distorting, Site-specific DNA Interstrand Crosslinks

Published on: November 10, 2016

7.6K
  • Analysis of conserved domains and structural features of bHLH proteins.
  • Comparative genomics and functional studies in model organisms.

    • Main Results:

    • bHLH proteins are characterized by a conserved DNA-binding domain and a helix-loop-helix motif essential for dimerization.
    • These factors are widely distributed in eukaryotic genomes, with extensive expansion in metazoans.
    • Specific bHLH proteins have been identified as master regulators orchestrating cell fate decisions during embryogenesis.

    Conclusions:

    • Basic helix-loop-helix proteins are essential regulators of animal development, controlling fundamental processes from cell differentiation to organogenesis.
    • Their conserved structure and diverse functions make them key targets for understanding developmental mechanisms.
    • Further research into bHLH protein networks will illuminate pathways critical for embryonic patterning and tissue homeostasis.