Get Stats: Transcriptional Control And Biological Impact

Abstract. Interaction of cytokines with their cognate receptors leads to the activation of latent transcription factors – the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins – whose biological activities ultimately regulate many critical aspects of cell growth, survival and differentiation.

Transcriptional regulation is a critical biological process that allows the cell or an organism to respond to a variety of intra- and extra-cellular signals, to define cell identity during development, to maintain it throughout its lifetime, and to coordinate cellular activity.

The STAT3 protein is active in tissues throughout the body. It plays an important role in the development and function of several body systems and is essential for life. In the immune system, the STAT3 protein transmits signals for the maturation of immune system cells, especially T cells and B cells.

The STAT dimer causes transcription of genes in the nucleus. This produces messenger RNA of a gene. It carries the message of the cytokine gene.

Normal Function The STAT3 gene is part of a family known as the STAT genes. These genes provide instructions for making proteins that are part of essential chemical signaling pathways within cells.

The signal transducer and activators of transcription (STAT) family of proteins were initially identified as transcription factors that could facilitate the rapid induction of target genes in response to specific extracellular stimuli, including cytokines, growth factors and other agents, through tyrosine ...

Transcription factors are proteins involved in the process of converting, or transcribing, DNA into RNA. Transcription factors include a wide number of proteins, excluding RNA polymerase, that initiate and regulate the transcription of genes.

Interaction of cytokines with their cognate receptors leads to the activation of latent transcription factors – the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins – whose biological activities ultimately regulate many critical aspects of cell growth, survival and differentiation.