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Reproductive Endocrinology pp 51–65Cite as

Regulation of Gene Expression

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All living organisms are genetically characterized by information stored in the genome as sequences of nucleotides. The genetic information required for organic development and functions is contained in the genes, which comprise only a fraction of the total sequences of nucleotides transmitted during every cell division and from generation to generation. Genes that express proteins can be divided in two main groups. The first group called constitutive or “housekeeping” genes encode slow turnover proteins required for basal functions and, therefore, are steadily expressed without regulation in most cells. The second group includes genes that encode proteins required for cell-specific biochemical activities and, therefore, are expressed only in particular cell groups. Some of these genes express high turnover proteins that are subject to rapid changes. Because these genes have restricted spatial patterns of expression, depending on their role, they can be highly regulated.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan College of Arts and Science, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    Pedro J. Chedrese

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  1. Pedro J. Chedrese
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Correspondence to Pedro J. Chedrese .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

     

    AP-1:

    activating protein-1, Jun-Fos heterodimer

    AP-2:

    activating protein-2

    AR:

    androgen receptor

    ARE:

    androgens response element

    bHLH:

    basic helix-loop-helix

    BRE:

    TFIIB recognition element

    bZip:

    DNA binding domain of the leucine zippers family of heterodimeric proteins

    C/EBP:

    CAAT box/enhancer binding protein

    CaMK:

    Ca2+-mediated kinase

    CAP:

    catabolic activator protein

    CBF:

    CAAT box-binding factor

    CBP:

    CREB binding protein

    c-fos:

    cellular protooncogene of the transforming gene of the Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins murine osteosarcoma viruses

    c-jun:

    cellular protooncogene of the transforming gene of avian sarcoma virus

    COUP-TF:

    chicken ovoalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor

    CRE:

    cAMP response element

    CREB:

    CRE-response element binding protein

    CREM:

    cAMP-responsive gene modulator

    Cro repressor:

    dimeric protein composed of identical subunits

    CTCF:

    CTC-binding factor

    CTF:

    CAAT binding transcription factor

    DNMT:

    DNA methyltransferase

    DPE:

    downstream promoter element

    dsRNA:

    double-stranded RNA

    E-box:

    sequence CACGTG that binds members of the basic helix-loop-helix

    ER:

    estrogen receptor

    ERE:

    estrogens response element

    Fos:

    transcription factor expressed by the c-fos oncogene

    FSH:

    follicle stimulating hormone

    GAS:

    interferon-gamma activated sequence promoter

    GATA:

    a family of transcription factors that contain two zinc finger motif and binds to the DNA sequence (A/T)GATA(A/G)

    GH:

    growth hormone

    GR:

    glucocorticoid receptor

    GRE:

    glucocorticoids response element

    GTFs:

    general transcription factors

    HAT:

    histone acetyl transferase

    hCG:

    chorionic gonadotropin hormone

    HDAC:

    histone deacetylase

    HMG:

    high mobility group of proteins

    HMG-box:

    homologous DNA binding domain of the HMG proteins

    HNF:

    hepatocyte nuclear factor

    HRE:

    hormone response element

    HSP:

    heat shock proteins

    HSP70:

    heat shock protein-70

    HTH:

    helix-turn-helix

    ICER:

    inducible cAMP early repressor

    IGF-II:

    insulin like growth factor-II

    Inr:

    Initiator sequence

    IPF:

    insulin promoter factor

    JAK:

    Janus kinases

    JNK:

    Jun N-terminal kinase

    Jun:

    transcription factor expressed by the c-jun gene

    KID:

    kinase inducible domain

    LH:

    luteinizing hormone

    MAD/MAX:

    group of proteins of the bHLH family that can form heterodimers with myc and regulate transcription

    MAP:

    mitogen activated protein

    MAPK:

    mitogen-activated protein kinase

    miRNA:

    micro RNAs

    MR:

    mineralocorticoid receptor

    MRE:

    mineralocorticoids response element

    MTF-1:

    metal-responsive transcription factor-1

    Myc:

    transcription factor expressed by a gene originally described in the avian MC29 myelocytomatosis virus (v-myc). A homologous gene (c-myc) is located in the long arm of the human chromosome 8.

    N-COR:

    nuclear receptor co-repressor

    NF-1:

    nuclear factor-1.

    NF-Y:

    nuclear factor-Y

    p300:

    E1A-binding protein p300, also termed EP300

    P450scc:

    cytochrome P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage

    PAX-8:

    transcription factor expressed by a member of the paired box (PAX) family of genes that encode proteins that contain a paired box domain, an octapeptide, and a paired-type homeodomain. It is expressed in the thyroid and the kidney and binds thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase genes promoters

    PIAS:

    protein inhibitors of activated STATs

    Pit-1:

    a transcription factor expressed specifically in the pituitary gland; member of the POU-homeodomain family

    PKA:

    protein kinase-A

    PKC:

    protein kinase-C

    POU:

    acronym derived from the homeodomain proteins Pit-1, Oct and Unc-86

    PR:

    progesterone receptor

    PRE:

    progesterone response element

    pre-miRNA:

    precursor of miRNA

    pri-miRNA:

    primary transcript of an miRNA gene

    RAR:

    retinoic acid receptor

    RID:

    nuclear receptor interaction domain

    RISC:

    RNA-induced silencing complex

    RNAi:

    RNA interference

    RRE:

    retinoic acid response element

    SF-1:

    steroidogenic factor-1

    SH2:

    Src Homology (SH) region 2, a phosphotyrosine-binding domain originally described in proteins of the Rous sarcoma virus (src) oncogene family of tyrosine kinases

    Sin3:

    a negative regulator of transcription in yeast also known as SDII

    siRNA:

    short interfering RNA

    SMRT:

    silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid receptors

    SOCS:

    suppressors of cytokine signaling

    SOX:

    SRY box

    Sp1:

    selective promoter-1

    SRC:

    steroid receptor coactivator

    SRE:

    serum responsive element

    SRF:

    serum response factor

    SRY:

    sex-determining region of the Y chromosome

    ssRNA:

    single-stranded RNA

    STATS:

    signal transducers and activators of transcription

    TBP:

    TATA-binding protein

    TCF/LEF:

    T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor

    TF:

    transcription factor

    TFIID:

    transcription factor IID

    THR:

    thyroid hormone receptor

    TPA:

    12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate

    TR:

    thyroid hormone receptor

    TRE:

    TPA response element

    TSE:

    tissue specific element

    TSH:

    thyrotropin hormone

    TTF-1:

    thyroid transcription factor

    Tx:

    transcription start site

    USF-1 and USF-2:

    upstream stimulating factors 1 and 2, respectively

    VDR:

    vitamin-D receptor

    wHTH:

    winged HTH

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    Chedrese, P.J. (2009). Regulation of Gene Expression. In: Chedrese, P. (eds) Reproductive Endocrinology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-88186-7_5

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-88186-7_5

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    • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-88186-7

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