Control of gene expression by Ca2+ is a well known phenomenon acting throug
h three major pathways: (i) changes in the transactivating properties of tr
anscription factors after induction of Ca2+-dependent kinases and phosphata
ses (ii) Ca2+-dependent interaction between calmodulin and S-100 proteins w
ith basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors that prevents blind
ing to DNA and (iii) direct interaction between Ca2+-free DREAM and DNA tha
t represses transcription. Because the first mechanism has been extensively
reviewed, (Gallin, W. J., Greenberg, M. E. (1995). Calcium regulation of g
ene expression in neurons: the mode of entry matters, Curr Opin Neurobiol 5
: 367-374; Santella, L., Carafoli, E. (1997). Calcium signaling in the cell
nucleus. FASEB J. 11: 1091-1109) this commentary will focus on the other t
wo special emphasis on DREAM, the first EF-hand protein known to specifical
ly bind DNA and regulate transcription in a Ca2+-dependent manner (Carrion,
A.M.; Link, W.A., Ledo, F., Mellstrom, B., Naranjo, J.R. (1999). DREAM is
a Ca2+-regulated transcriptional repressor.