THE CREB ATF FAMILY OF TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS - MODULATION BY REVERSIBLE PHOSPHORYLATION/

Changes in genetic programming of a cell are brought about by modulati ng the activity of transcriptional factors which control the initiatio n of gene transcription by RNA polymerase II. Phosphorylation of trans cription factors as a regulatory mechanism is both rapid and readily r eversible. Moreover because a transcription factor can be targeted by several protein kinases and phosphatases, this covalent modification c an effectively integrate information carried by multiple signal transd uction pathways, thereby providing a palette for great versatility and flexibility in the regulation of gene expression. The CREB/ATF family of transcription factors serves as a paradigm illustrating the phosph orylation-mediated transfer of regulatory information from the cell su rface to the nucleus.