This blog focuses on the how structural changes in the p73 DNA-binding domain regulate p73 activity (see Figure 1).
P73 proteins are part of the p53 protein superfamily. The members of this family are transcription factors involved in various processes such as cell cycle, apoptosis, pheromonal sensing, chromosome stability, neurogenesis and inflammation.
Recent findings show a controversial role of p73 in cancer. On one hand it acts as a tumour suppressor, as it induces apoptosis of DNA damaged cells. On the other hand,
The p73 transcriptional activation is a multistep process involving DNA binding, oligomerization, recruitment of transcriptional machinery, transcription initiation and elongation.
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| Figure 1: a monomer of the p73 DNA binding domain |
Techniques
- DNA microarrays were used to scan a DNA library for genes of which p73 is a transcriptional activator
