MECHANISM OF GENE-EXPRESSION BY THE GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTOR - ROLE OFPROTEIN-PROTEIN INTERACTIONS

The glucocorticoid receptor belongs to an important class of transcrip tion factors that alter the expression of target genes in response to a specific hormone signal. The glucocorticoid receptor can function at least at three levels: (1) recruitment of the general transcription m achinery; (2) modulation of transcription factor action, independent o f DNA binding, through direct protein-protein interactions; and (3) mo dulation of chromatin structure to allow the assembly of other gene re gulatory proteins and/or the general transcription machinery on the DN A. This review will focus on the multifaceted nature of protein-protei n interactions involving the glucocorticoid receptor and basal transcr iption factors, coactivators and other transcription factors, occurrin g at these different levels of regulation.