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Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...

Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...

Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the addition of a...

Combinatorial Gene Control

Combinatorial Gene Control

Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...

What is Gene Expression?

What is Gene Expression?

A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is comprised of nucleotides and proteins are comprised of amino acids, a mediator is required to convert the information encoded in DNA into proteins. This mediator is the messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA copies the blueprint from DNA by a process called transcription. In eukaryotes, transcription occurs in the nucleus by complementary base-pairing with the DNA template. The mRNA is then processed and...

What is Gene Expression?

What is Gene Expression?

Overview
Gene expression is the process in which DNA directs the synthesis of functional products, that is, proteins. Cells can regulate gene expression at various stages. It allows organisms to generate different cell types and enables cells to adapt to internal and external factors.
Genetic Information Flows from DNA to RNA to Protein
A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is made up of nucleotides and proteins consist of amino...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers

Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers

Published on: September 20, 2018

Control of gene expression by modulated self-assembly.

Jose M G Vilar¹, Leonor Saiz

¹Biophysics Unit (CSIC-UPV/EHU) and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, P.O. Box 644, 48080 Bilbao, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain.

Nucleic Acids Research

|May 24, 2011

Summary

Cellular transcription factors precisely control gene expression through regulated self-assembly into oligomeric species. This mechanism offers both precision and flexibility in sensing signals, as demonstrated with the nuclear hormone receptor RXR.

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Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers

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Published on: September 20, 2018

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation

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A Multilayer Microfluidic Platform for the Conduction of Prolonged Cell-Free Gene Expression

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Published on: October 6, 2019

Area of Science:

Molecular biology
Systems biology
Gene regulation

Background:

Transcription factors (TFs) form various ordered oligomeric states, a process actively regulated by cells.
The functional significance of TF self-assembly in gene expression has remained largely undefined.
Common TF elements are found in systems like p53, NF-κB, STATs, Oct, and RXR.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a quantitative framework to understand the role of TF self-assembly in gene expression.
To investigate how TF self-assembly contributes to signal sensing precision and flexibility.
To apply the framework to the nuclear hormone receptor RXR and validate its predictive power.

Main Methods:

Development of a novel quantitative framework to model TF self-assembly effects on gene expression.
Application of the framework to analyze gene expression data, particularly for the RXR system.
Comparison of model predictions with existing experimental data to explain previously unexplained observations.

Main Results:

The study demonstrates that TF self-assembly provides both precision and flexibility in cellular signal sensing.
The developed framework accurately reproduces diverse gene expression data for the nuclear hormone receptor RXR.
Evidence supports a precise functional regime with flexible properties controllable at genomic and promoter levels.

Conclusions:

TF self-assembly is a key mechanism for achieving precise yet flexible gene expression control.
The quantitative framework offers a new tool for studying TF function and regulation.
This mechanism is relevant for a wide range of TFs involved in critical cellular processes.