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Related Concept Videos

Transcription Factors02:16

Transcription Factors

76.3K
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
76.3K
General Transcription Factors01:30

General Transcription Factors

5.4K
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
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Transcription01:10

Transcription

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Overview
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
147.5K
Combinatorial Gene Control02:33

Combinatorial Gene Control

8.4K
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...
8.4K
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins02:36

RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins

9.3K
Proteins that regulate transcription can do so either via direct contact with RNA Polymerase or through indirect interactions facilitated by adaptors, mediators, histone-modifying proteins, and nucleosome remodelers. Direct interactions to activate transcription is seen in bacteria as well as in some eukaryotic genes. In these cases, upstream activation sequences are adjacent to the promoters, and the activator proteins interact directly with the transcriptional machinery. For example, in...
9.3K
Master Transcription Regulators02:23

Master Transcription Regulators

7.0K
Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a  complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
7.0K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2025

Real-time Analysis of Transcription Factor Binding, Transcription, Translation, and Turnover to Display Global Events During Cellular Activation
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Real-time Analysis of Transcription Factor Binding, Transcription, Translation, and Turnover to Display Global Events During Cellular Activation

Published on: March 7, 2018

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Transcription factors specifically control change.

Ellen V Rothenberg1

  • 1Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA evroth@its.caltech.edu.

Genes & Development
|January 9, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Transcription factors bind DNA to regulate genes. A new study reveals that while their impact seems small in stable conditions, these factor-site interactions are crucial catalysts for developmental changes.

Keywords:
Oct4Sox2differentiationembryonic stem cellspluripotencytranscription

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Describing a Transcription Factor Dependent Regulation of the MicroRNA Transcriptome
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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Transcription factors (TFs) bind DNA at specific motifs to regulate gene expression.
  • TF binding patterns (e.g., ChIP-seq) are expected to reveal direct gene targets, but observed TF impacts often don't match the number of binding sites.
  • Perturbing TFs has significant roles in embryology, yet deleting specific binding sites can yield weak regulatory effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reconcile the discrepancy between the number of TF binding sites and the genes dynamically regulated by TFs.
  • To directly compare the role of TF-binding site interactions in maintaining gene regulation versus driving developmental change.
  • To investigate the function of Oct4:Sox2 shared target genes under maintained and reinduced pluripotency.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an experimental system to compare TF-binding site roles in gene regulation maintenance versus developmental change.
  • Examined Oct4:Sox2 shared target genes within the same cell clone under distinct pluripotency conditions.
  • Assessed TF-binding site interaction impacts under developmental steady-state and during developmental transitions.

Main Results:

  • Identified that the same TF-binding site interactions show modest impacts in developmental steady-state assays.
  • Demonstrated that these TF-binding site interactions are critical as regulatory catalysts during developmental change.
  • Highlighted the differential importance of TF-binding sites depending on the cellular context (maintenance vs. induction).

Conclusions:

  • TF binding site interactions are context-dependent, playing distinct roles in maintaining cellular states versus driving developmental transitions.
  • The apparent modest impact of TF binding sites in steady-state conditions may underestimate their critical role in developmental reprogramming.
  • Understanding these dynamics is key to deciphering regulatory logic during development and cellular plasticity.