Transcription factor

Biochip analysis of prostate cancer

M. Q. Fan, Wang, P. X., Feng, J. Y., Xiao, Y., and Huang, C. B., “Biochip analysis of prostate cancer”, vol. 13, pp. 152-159, 2014.

Microarray expression analysis was used to forecast the roles of differentially co-expressed genes (DCG) and DCG and links in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. In addition, we demonstrate that the relationship between transcriptional factors (TFs) and their targets can be considered a key factor in determining the difference between primary and metastatic prostate cancer. Regulatory impact factors were adopted to calculate the impact of TF.

Roles of the bZIP gene family in rice

Z. G. E, Zhang, Y. P., Zhou, J. H., and Wang, L., “Roles of the bZIP gene family in rice”, vol. 13. pp. 3025-3036, 2014.

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) genes encode transcription factors involved in the regulation of various biological processes. Similar to WRKY, basic helix-loop-helix, and several other groups of proteins, the bZIP proteins form a superfamily of transcription factors that mediate plant stress responses. In this review, we present the roles of bZIP proteins in multiple biological processes that include pathogen defense; responses to abiotic stresses; seed development and germination; senescence; and responses to salicylic, jasmonic, and abscisic acids in rice.

Overexpression of the activated form of the AtAREB1 gene (AtAREB1ΔQT) improves soybean responses to water deficit

J. P. Leite, Barbosa, E. G. G., Marin, S. R. R., Marinho, J. P., Carvalho, J. F. C., Pagliarini, R. F., Cruz, A. S., Oliveira, M. C. N., Farias, J. R. B., Neumaier, N., Guimarães, F. C. M., Yoshida, T., Kanamori, N., Fujita, Y., Nakashima, K., Shinozaki, K. Y., Desidério, J. A., and Nepomuceno, A. L., “Overexpression of the activated form of the AtAREB1 gene (AtAREB1ΔQT) improves soybean responses to water deficit”, vol. 13, pp. 6272-6286, 2014.

Abscisic acid-responsive element binding protein (AREB1) is a basic domain/leucine zipper transcription factor that binds to the abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive element motif in the promoter region of ABA-inducible genes. Because AREB1 is not sufficient to direct the expression of downstream genes under non-stress conditions, an activated form of AREB1 (AREB1ΔQT) was created. Several reports claim that plants overexpressing AREB1 or AREB1ΔQT show improved drought tolerance.

Regulation of WNK4 gene transcription in the kidneys

Z. J. Sun, Li, Y., Li, Y. H., Zhang, J. S., Ding, Q., Li-Ling, J., Liang, Y., and Zhao, Y. Y., “Regulation of WNK4 gene transcription in the kidneys”, vol. 12, pp. 2332-2340, 2013.

With-no-lysine (K) kinase-4 (WNK4) is a newly cloned kinase-encoding gene that plays a crucial role in the maintenance of electrolyte homeostasis. Mutations of WNK4 can cause pseudohypoaldosteronism type α, an autosomal dominant disease characterized by hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis and hypertension. We explored the expression and regulatory mechanism of WNK4 in the human kidneys, which is a key regulator of blood pressure. Expression of WNK4 was determined by RT-PCR.

Genome-wide analysis of the auxin response factor gene family in cucumber

S. Q. Liu and Hu, L. F., “Genome-wide analysis of the auxin response factor gene family in cucumber”, vol. 12, pp. 4317-4331, 2013.

Auxin response factors (ARFs) participate in the transcriptional regulation of a series of biological processes related to growth and development. The ARF genes comprise a large multigene family in plants. Recently, a draft of the full cucumber (Cucumis sativus) genome assembly has been released; however, none of the ARF genes have been characterized. We made a comprehensive analysis of ARF genes in this species. Fifteen ARF genes were identified and could be divided into three classes.

Novel NKX2-5 mutations responsible for congenital heart disease

J. Wang, Liu, X. Y., and Yang, Y. Q., “Novel NKX2-5 mutations responsible for congenital heart disease”, vol. 10, pp. 2905-2915, 2011.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality resulting from birth defects. Increasing evidence demonstrates that genetic variation in the NKX2-5 gene, which encodes a homeobox-containing transcription factor crucial to cardiogenesis, is an important molecular determinant for CHD. Nevertheless, the genetic components underlying CHD remain largely unknown. We screened NKX2-5 for potential molecular defects in patients with CHD.