Ligand-binding domain of estrogen receptors

Estrogen receptors are multi-domain proteins that interact with other prote ins and DNA to fulfil their function: the regulation of transcription. Duri ng the past 2-3 years, our understanding of this complex process has increa sed tremendously as crystal structures of isolated ligand-binding domains i n complex with various ligands, as well as co-activator peptides, are now a vailable. The structural information, combined with new data on novel co-ac tivators/co-repressors, muteins and their actions, and novel ligands, allow s for the first time the development of detailed theories for the first ste ps of transcription initiation.