title: STATs and gene regulation.
abstract: STATs (signal transducers and activators of transcription) are a family of latent cytoplasmic proteins that are activated to participate in gene control when cells encounter various extracellular polypeptides. Biochemical and molecular genetic explorations have defined a single tyrosine phosphorylation site and, in a dimeric partner molecule, an Src homology 2 (SH2) phosphotyrosine-binding domain, a DNA interaction domain, and a number of protein-protein interaction domains (with receptors, other transcription factors, the transcription machinery, and perhaps a tyrosine phosphatase). Mouse genetics experiments have defined crucial roles for each known mammalian STAT. The discovery of a STAT in Drosophila, and most recently in Dictyostelium discoideum, implies an ancient evolutionary origin for this dual-function set of proteins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Darnell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019281:Dimerization; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019000:Phosphotyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D018909:src Homology Domains
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; D004247:DNA