KRAB-containing zinc-finger repressor proteins. Genome Biol 2003;4(10):231
Date
10/02/2003Pubmed ID
14519192Pubmed Central ID
PMC328446DOI
10.1186/gb-2003-4-10-231Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0346274978 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 418 CitationsAbstract
The largest family of zinc-finger transcription factors comprises those containing the Krüppel-associated box (or KRAB domain), which are present only in tetrapod vertebrates. Many genes encoding KRAB-containing proteins are arranged in clusters in the human genome, with one cluster close to chromosome 9ql3 and others in centromeric and telomeric regions of other chromosomes, but other genes occur individually throughout the genome. The KRAB domain, which is found in the amino-terminal region of the proteins, behaves as a transcriptional repressor domain by binding to corepressor proteins, whereas the C2H2 zinc-finger motifs bind DNA. The functions currently proposed for members of the KRAB-containing protein family include transcriptional repression of RNA polymerase I, II, and III promoters and binding and splicing of RNA. Members of the family are involved in maintenance of the nucleolus, cell differentiation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and neoplastic transformation.
Author List
Urrutia RAuthor
Raul A. Urrutia MD Center Director, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Amino Acid MotifsAnimals
DNA-Binding Proteins
Humans
Repressor Proteins
Transcription Factors
Zinc Fingers