Encoding four gene expression programs in the activation dynamics of a single transcription factor
Anders S Hansen1, Erin K O'Shea2
1Department of Molecular Cell Biology, HHMI, Li Ka Shing Center, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Northwest Laboratory, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Faculty of Arts and Sciences Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Northwest Laboratory, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Cellular signaling uses a single transcription factor to control gene expression. This study shows that by altering the factor's activation dynamics, scientists can trigger four distinct gene programs.
Area of Science:
- Cellular Biology
- Systems Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Cellular signaling pathways often feature a bow-tie topology with convergent signals activating a single transcription factor.
- The temporal coding theory proposes that signal information is encoded in the dynamic activation patterns of transcription factors.
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