The BDNF gene: exemplifying complexity in Ca2+ -dependent gene expression.
Over the last 20 years, great effort has been made to decipher the molecular mechanisms used by cells to transform a cytosolic Ca2+ signal into specific, finely-controlled changes in gene expression. Several previous reviews addressed the variety of regulatory mechanisms that participate in Ca2+ -dependent gene expression in neurons (Carafoli et al., 2001; Mellstrom and Naranjo 2001; West et al., 2001). Nevertheless, recent discoveries have revealed new players and new interactions that tune this process. In this review, we will use the four promoters that regulate the expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene as a magnificent scenario in which these mechanisms intermingle to show the complexity of Ca2+ -dependent gene expression.
Mellstrom
Britt
B
Dpto. Biología Moleculary Celular, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
Torres
Begoña
B
Link
Wolfgang A
WA
Naranjo
José R
JR
D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000235:genetics*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D015220:Calcium Channels; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D002118:Calcium