title: Activation and repression of gene expression by POU family transcription factors.
abstract: The POU family transcription factors Oct-2 and Brn-3 utilize different mechanisms to produce a variety of effects on gene expression particularly in the nervous system. In the case of Oct-2, a single gene produces a primary RNA transcript. This transcript then undergoes alternative splicing to yield a variety of different mRNAs encoding Oct-2 isoforms which either activate or repress gene expression. In contrast, three distinct genes encode the closely related Brn-3 factors, Brn-3b, Brn-3b and Brn-3c. Although the proteins encoded by the Brn-3a and Brn-3c genes activate their target genes Brn-3b represses these genes and can also interfere with activation by Brn-3a or c. These finding indicate that diverse mechanisms are used to generate activating or repressing forms of POU family transcription factors.
authors: Department of Molecular Pathology, University College London Medical School, U.K.
authors: D S
authors: DS
authors: Latchman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016385:TATA Box; D050818:Transcription Factor Brn-3; D050820:Transcription Factor Brn-3B; D050821:Transcription Factor Brn-3C; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050818:Transcription Factor Brn-3; D050820:Transcription Factor Brn-3B; D050821:Transcription Factor Brn-3C; D014157:Transcription Factors