Dual-role transcription factors stabilize intermediate expression levels. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38631355/)

These scientists wanted to understand how cells control the amount of certain genes being used. They discovered a special group of proteins, called transcription factors, that can both turn genes on and off. They found that these proteins can help cells maintain the right amount of gene activity, which is important for the cells to work properly.

To study this, the scientists used different methods like sequencing, imaging, and functional tests. They found that these special proteins can form structures called condensates that help them control gene activity. When gene expression is too high, these proteins can decrease it, and when it's too low, they can increase it to keep it at just the right level.

The scientists also found that mutations in these proteins can lead to developmental disorders, showing how important they are for normal cell functions. By understanding how these proteins work, scientists can potentially use them to control gene expression levels in different ways, which could be very useful for future research and applications.

He J., Huo X., Pei G., Jia Z., Yan Y., Yu J., Qu H., Xie Y., Yuan J., Zheng Y., Hu Y., Shi M., You K., Li T., Ma T., Zhang MQ., Ding S., Li P., Li Y. Dual-role transcription factors stabilize intermediate expression levels. Cell. 2024 May 23;187(11):2746-2766.e25. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.023. Epub 2024 Apr 16.