Compilation of transcription regulating proteins.

Introduction As gene regulation is one of the central topics of molecular biology efforts have been made to define the regulating elements. On DNA level, cis-acting sequences have successfully been defined for a large number of genes. Promoter, enhancer, and regulating (or responsive) elements have been determined which govern constitutive gene expression on a basal and often low level, which enhance or repress transcription of the respective gene in a cellor stage-specific manner or which make the gene responsive to external trigger signals, e.g. to hormones or metal ions. In the last years, it became evident that these sequences exert their influences by interaction with specific proteins, e.g. general or specific transcription factors or steroid hormone receptors. Accordingly, the number of reports increased dramatically showing the occupation of "regulating" DNA sequences by these trans-acting factors. The aim of the following compilation is (i) to give an survey of the genes for which regulatory and protein-interacting elements are known and to localize these regions (Tab. 1); (ii) to assign to these elements the factors by which they are recognized (Tab. 1); (iii) to list the regulating factors, their target genes, some of their molecular properties and corresponding proteins of (presumably) similar function (Tab. 2); (iv) to compare the DNA-binding domains of those regulating proteins, which hypothetically possess a finger structure (Tab. 3). This listing might provide a basis to systematize the puzzle of transcription factors, particularly those for the genes which are transcribed by eukaryotic RNA polymerase II. Accordingly, only genes transcribed by this enzyme are included in Table 1. Depending on which term is more commonly used, either the genes or the gene products are listed in alphabetical