Cross-Family Transcription Factor Interactions: An Additional Layer of Gene Regulation.
Specific and dynamic gene expression strongly depends on transcription factor (TF) activity and most plant TFs function in a combinatorial fashion. They can bind to DNA and control the expression of the corresponding gene in an additive fashion or cooperate by physical interactions, forming larger protein complexes. The importance of protein-protein interactions between members of a particular plant TF family has long been recognised; however, a significant number of interfamily TF interactions has recently been reported. The biological implications and the molecular mechanisms involved in cross-family interactions have now started to be elucidated and the examples illustrate potential roles in the bridging of biological processes. Hence, cross-family TF interactions expand the molecular toolbox for plants with additional mechanisms to control and fine-tune robust gene expression patterns and to adapt to their continuously changing environment.
Wageningen University and Research, Bioscience, Plant Developmental Systems, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Wageningen University and Research, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Marian
M
Bemer
Wageningen University and Research, Bioscience, Applied Bioinformatics, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Aalt D J
ADJ
van Dijk
Wageningen University and Research, Bioscience, Plant Developmental Systems, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Wageningen University and Research, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Richard G H
RGH
Immink
Wageningen University and Research, Bioscience, Plant Developmental Systems, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Wageningen University and Research, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Gerco.Angenent@wur.nl.
Gerco C
GC
Angenent
D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
DNA binding; TF families; protein interactions; transcription factor; transcription regulation