transcription factor

noun

: any of various proteins that bind to DNA and play a role in the regulation of gene expression by promoting transcription

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Scientists have speculated that the activation of a transcription factor called STAT3 can induce advanced wet macular degeneration. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023

The other pathway suppresses a transcription factor that seems to promote a longer life span. —Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023

One example is phage phi29, which exploits its host’s transcription factor to detect when the bacterium is getting ready to generate a spore, or a kind of bacterial egg capable of surviving extreme environments. —Ivan Erill-university Of Maryland, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2022

This protein, or transcription factor, allows researchers to better control the T cell by inducing it to produce a specific protein. —Gregory Allen, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2022

Some of his recent work has involved a transcription factor called HIF-2. —Markham Heid, Time, 26 Dec. 2022

The mutation may be in a transcription factor that regulates the activity of EPAS1. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 1 July 2010

This transcription factor upregulates the activity of 345 genes, most of them known to respond to salt, drought, and cold stresses. —Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 29 July 2022

This cascade of reactions leads to the activation of the transcription factor NFkB. NFkB induces several cell defenses, including inflammation. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

transcription factor

noun

: any of various proteins that bind to DNA and play a role in the regulation of gene expression by promoting transcription