Molecular interactions of two trans-acting regulatory factors for the rabbit uteroglobin gene: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours at Lincoln University

Abstract

Determining the regulatory mechanisms that govern the temporal, environmental and tissue-specific regulation of proteins has become a central focus of studies in eukaryotic molecular biology. For most genes the major target of control is the initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase, as regulating this step affords the greatest economy in energy expenditure by the cell. The complexity in control systems that regulate mRNA initiation is derived from two basic mechanisms; positive control, in which transcription is facilitated, and negative control, in which initiation is precluded. In both cases the effect is mediated by the interaction of proteins specific for cognate sites on the DNA. Interwoven with this recognition process between trans-acting factors and their cis-acting DNA elements, is the capacity of these proteins to interact with one another in either a homotypic or heterotypic fashion.