Error correction strategies of cells: Team proposes new hypothesis
Cells dynamically respond to environmental signals by turning appropriate sets of genes on or off. The "control system" that determines which genes need to be expressed at what time depends primarily on the interactions between transcription factor proteins (TFs) and the regulatory DNA sequence. This system is highly complex—especially in cells of multicellular organisms—as correct combinations of TF molecules need to bind specific sites on the DNA. Surprisingly, while multicellular organisms need to regulate more genes compared to bacterial cells, their TFs are less specific and bind promiscuously on many genomic locations, including unsuitable ones. So how can TFs reliably turn on the correct gene, while avoiding erroneously turning on the others?