The hypoxia-inducible-factor hydroxylases bring fresh air into hypoxia signalling
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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Induction and Testing of Hypoxia in Cell Culture
Published on: August 12, 2011
Edurne Berra1, Amandine Ginouvès, Jacques Pouysségur
1Institute of Signalling, Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, CNRS UMR-6543, University of Nice, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, France.
Abstract:
Metazoans rapidly respond to changes in oxygen availability by regulating gene expression. The transcription factor hypoxia-inducible-factor (HIF), which controls the expression of several genes, 'senses' the oxygen concentration indirectly through the hydroxylation of two proline residues that earmarks the HIF-alpha subunits for proteasomal degradation. We review the expression, regulation and function of the HIF prolyl hydroxylases or prolyl hydroxylases domain proteins, which are genuine oxygen sensors.
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