Upstream stimulating factors: highly versatile stress-responsive transcription factors.
Upstream stimulating factors (USF), USF-1 and USF-2, are members of the eucaryotic evolutionary conserved basic-Helix-Loop-Helix-Leucine Zipper transcription factor family. They interact with high affinity to cognate E-box regulatory elements (CANNTG), which are largely represented across the whole genome in eucaryotes. The ubiquitously expressed USF-transcription factors participate in distinct transcriptional processes, mediating recruitment of chromatin remodelling enzymes and interacting with co-activators and members of the transcription pre-initiation complex. Results obtained from both cell lines and knock-out mice indicates that USF factors are key regulators of a wide number of gene regulation networks, including the stress and immune responses, cell cycle and proliferation, lipid and glucid metabolism, and in melanocytes USF-1 has been implicated as a key UV-activated regulator of genes associated with pigmentation. This review will focus on general characteristics of the USF-transcription factors and their place in some regulatory networks.
Corre
Sébastien
S
CNRS UMR 6061 Laboratoire de Génétique et Développement, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Rennes-1, Rennes Cedex, France.
Galibert
Marie-Dominique
MD
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D024721:E-Box Elements; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000528:radiation effects; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D051720:Upstream Stimulatory Factors
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008543:Melanins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C497181:USF1 protein, human; D051720:Upstream Stimulatory Factors; C497183:Usf1 protein, mouse; D005947:Glucose