Transcription factors don't act like an 'on-off' switch, exhibit more complex binding behavior: study
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 12:02
in Biology & Nature
Anyone who's tried a weekend home improvement project knows that to do a job right, you've got to have the right tools. For cells, these "tools" are proteins encoded by genes. The right genes for the job are turned on only in the specific cells where they are needed. And every cell in your body has a specific job to do. Cells in your pancreas have to produce insulin, while cells in the retina of your eye must be able to sense light and color. Like using the wrong tool for the job, if the wrong genes are turned on in a cell, it can cause a real mess. Worse, in some cases it can cause serious disease like cancer.