What does a transcription factor bind to?
DNA promoter sequence
Some transcription factors bind to a DNA promoter sequence near the transcription start site and help form the transcription initiation complex. Other transcription factors bind to regulatory sequences, such as enhancer sequences, and can either stimulate or repress transcription of the related gene.
What does a transcription factor bind to first?
To start transcription, general transcription factors, such as TFIID, TFIIH, and others, must first bind to the TATA box and recruit RNA polymerase to that location. The binding of additional regulatory transcription factors to cis-acting elements will either increase or prevent transcription.
How does a transcription factor find its binding site?
Prediction of transcription factor binding sites is generally performed by scanning a DNA sequence of interest with a position weight matrix (PWM) for a transcription factor of interest [6, 7] and various pattern-matching tools have been developed for this purpose.
What is CTCF binding site?
CTCF binds together strands of DNA, thus forming chromatin loops, and anchors DNA to cellular structures like the nuclear lamina. It also defines the boundaries between active and heterochromatic DNA. CTCF binding has also been both shown to promote and repress gene expression.
How do transcription factors affect the binding at the promoter?
A typical transcription factor binds to DNA at a certain target sequence. Once it’s bound, the transcription factor makes it either harder or easier for RNA polymerase to bind to the promoter of the gene.
Do all transcription factors bind to DNA?
Due to the nature of these chemical interactions, most transcription factors bind DNA in a sequence specific manner. However, not all bases in the transcription factor-binding site may actually interact with the transcription factor. In addition, some of these interactions may be weaker than others.
How long are transcription factor binding sites?
Typically, a TF binding site (TFBS) is 5 to 15 base pairs (bp) long within the promoter of its target gene and a TF protein usually can recognize a set of similar DNA sequences with varying degrees of binding affinity.
What is YY1 (Yin Yang 1)?
Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is one such ubiquitous transcription factor. It is important to divulge how complex factors such as YY1 function in diverse biological processes and ultimately shape the growth and viability of eukaryotic cells.
How is YY1 regulated by transcription factors?
YY1 activity is regulated by transcription factors and cytoplasmic proteins that have been shown to abrogate or completely inhibit YY1-mediated activation or repression; however, these mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated.
What is the function of YY1?
Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a DNA-binding transcription factor that either activates or represses gene expression. YY1 has previously been implicated in the transcriptional silencing of many retroviruses by binding to DNA sequences in the U3 region of the viral long terminal repeat (LTR).
What is the scientific name for the factor YY1?
Shi et al. (1991) formally named the factor YY1. During the preparation of the manuscript, Shi et al. (1991) learned that YY1 had been cloned by two additional laboratories. Park and Atchison (1991) have identified and cloned the protein, which they termed NF-E1, based on its ability to bind within the Ig κ 3′ enhancer ( Park and Atchison, 1991 ).
