Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
Published on: June 6, 2025
Transcriptional activation by MLL fusion proteins in leukemogenesis
1Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan; Division of Hematological Malignancy, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
Chromosomal translocations involving the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene cause aggressive leukemia. Fusion proteins of MLL and a component of the AF4 family/ENL family/P-TEFb complex (AEP) are responsible for two-thirds of MLL-associated leukemia cases. MLL-AEP fusion proteins trigger aberrant self-renewal of hematopoietic progenitors by constitutively activating self-renewal-related genes. MLL-AEP fusion proteins activate transcription initiation by loading the TATA-binding protein (TBP) to the TATA element via selectivity factor 1. Although AEP retains transcription elongation and mediator recruiting activities, the rate-limiting step activated by MLL-AEP fusion proteins appears to be the TBP-loading step. This is contrary to prevailing views, in which the recruitment of transcription elongation activities are emphasized. Here, I review recent advances towards elucidating the mechanisms underlying gene activation by MLL-AEP fusion proteins in leukemogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Master Transcription Regulators
Abnormal Proliferation
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Somatic...
Eukaryotic Transcription Activators
The binding domains are capable of recognizing and interacting with regulatory sequences on the DNA. These...
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins
Combinatorial Gene Control
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...

