The E2F1 transcription factor, in co-operation with DP1, controls the
expression of several S-phase specific genes. This activity is most li
kely responsible for the oncogenic and S-phase inducing properties of
E2F1, suggesting that this transcription factor plays a key role in re
gulating the cell cycle. The transcriptional activation functions of E
2F1 are resident in a small C-terminal domain which can independently
activate transcription. Here we review the protein-protein interaction
s which impinge upon and regulate this activation domain and put forwa
rd some models on their mechanism of action.