The Why of YY1: Mechanisms of Transcriptional Regulation by Yin Yang 1

Overview

Journal Front Cell Dev Biol

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2020 Oct 26

PMID 33102493

Citations 76

Authors

Thijs C J Verheul

Levi van Hijfte

Elena Perenthaler

Tahsin Stefan Barakat

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

First described in 1991, Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a transcription factor that is ubiquitously expressed throughout mammalian cells. It regulates both transcriptional activation and repression, in a seemingly context-dependent manner. YY1 has a well-established role in the development of the central nervous system, where it is involved in neurogenesis and maintenance of homeostasis in the developing brain. In neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease, the crucial role of YY1 in cellular processes in the central nervous system is further underscored. In this mini-review, we discuss the various mechanisms leading to the transcriptional activating and repressing roles of YY1, including its role as a traditional transcription factor, its interactions with cofactors and chromatin modifiers, the role of YY1 in the non-coding genome and 3D chromatin organization and the possible implications of the phase-separation mechanism on YY1 function. We provide examples on how these processes can be involved in normal development and how alterations can lead to various diseases.

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