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GENE REGULATION

Bringing distant DNA together

Nature Chemical Biology volume 17, pages 125–126 (2021)Cite this article

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Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a transcription factor involved in gene regulation. A recent study has revealed G-quadruplex structures as novel binding targets of YY1, and their interactions regulate DNA looping and gene expression.

YY1 is a multifunctional zinc finger (ZnF)-containing transcription factor that is ubiquitously expressed in cells. Despite the different names being assigned to this protein in the 1990s, the name YY1 is now accepted by all to represent its ability to bind to the DNA promoter to activate, repress, or initiate transcription5. YY1 contains four C2H2 ZnF domains, one REPO domain, and one histidine cluster (Fig. 1c), of which the C2H2 ZnF domains mainly function to bind DNA and repress transcription5. A conserved DNA sequence motif of 5'-GCCATNTT-3' is identified as the consensus YY1-binding motif6,7, and their interaction promotes the formation of enhancer–promoter loops to regulate gene expression8, as well as diverse biological processes such as DNA replication, transcription, and repair, cell proliferation and differentiation, and embryogenesis9,10.

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Fig. 1: Novel interaction of YY1 and G4 mediates DNA looping and gene expression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Haizhou Zhao & Chun Kit Kwok

  2. State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Chun Kit Kwok

  3. Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China

    Chun Kit Kwok

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  1. Haizhou Zhao
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  2. Chun Kit Kwok
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Correspondence to Chun Kit Kwok.

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Zhao, H., Kwok, C.K. Bringing distant DNA together. Nat Chem Biol 17, 125–126 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-020-00705-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-020-00705-2

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