In the recent review article in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences,College of Pharmacy researchers surveyed the current state of knowledge about the modifications of transcription factors, the specialized proteins that guide cell development and function. Transcription factors determine which genes are expressed, thereby controlling protein expression within the cell. They are also necessary for cell development.
Researchers at the College of Pharmacy are interested in how transcription factors regulate specific genes and how that regulation can be affected. Signals sent through the cell into the DNA-containing nucleus alter transcription factor modifications to control and alter which genes are transcribed or suppressed, in which direction and to what degree. Post-translational modifications may act as on/off switches, they may regulate activity, protect transcription factors, or mark the end of a cell’s lifespan.
A precise understanding of transcription factors suggests future clinical possibilities. The ability to control post-translational modifications of transcription factors, could mean protein expression can be controlled. In many diseases including cancer where some detrimental proteins are grossly over-expressed and other important proteins are lost, we could theoretically return a diseased or malignant cell back into a normal cell by controlling the transcription factors that regulate the abnormal protein expression. Drug discovery efforts are only now moving forward to identify small molecules that can regulate the post-translational modifications of transcription factors, but the future is promising in this area.
For the full review, click here.