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Updated: May 14, 2026
09:26
DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation
Published on: December 29, 2021
Tunable signal processing through modular control of transcription factor translocation
Nan Hao1, Bogdan A Budnik, Jeremy Gunawardena
1Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences Center for Systems Biology, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 26, 2013
Summary
The transcription factor Msn2 in yeast acts as a tunable signal processor, adapting its function to different stress signals through dual regulation of nuclear transport. This allows for versatile responses to environmental changes.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Signaling
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Signaling pathways generate diverse transcription factor (TF) activation dynamics.
- Understanding how TFs process signals to produce varied responses is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how transcription factors process signaling inputs to generate diverse dynamic responses.
- To elucidate the mechanism of tunable signal processing in the yeast TF Msn2.
Main Methods:
- Studied the general stress-responsive TF Msn2 in budding yeast.
- Analyzed TF activation dynamics in response to signaling inputs.
- Investigated the role of dual regulation (nuclear import/export) by phosphorylation.
Main Results:
- Msn2 functions as a tunable signal processor, capable of tracking, filtering, or integrating signals based on input type.
- Mutant analysis revealed that regulation of nuclear import or export alone limits Msn2 to a single signal-processing function.
- Dual regulation by phosphorylation enables Msn2's versatile signal processing.
Conclusions:
- Msn2's tunable signal processing is essential for generating distinct dynamic responses to various natural stresses.
- Complex signal-processing functions can be integrated within a single molecule.
- Findings guide the design of TFs with "programmable" signal-processing capabilities.
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