Even in a calm, unchanging environment, cells are not static. Among other actions, cells activate and then deactivate some types of transcription factors -- proteins that control the expression of genes -- in unpredictable and intermittent pulses. A new study shows that pulsing can allow two proteins to interact in a rhythmic fashion that allows them to control genes. These rhythms may underlie core processes in the cells of organisms across the kingdoms of life.
Even in a calm, unchanging environment, cells are not static. Among other actions, cells activate and then deactivate some types of transcription factors -- proteins that control the expression of genes -- in unpredictable and intermittent pulses. A new study shows that pulsing can allow two proteins to interact in a rhythmic fashion that allows them to control genes. These rhythms may underlie core processes in the cells of organisms across the kingdoms of life.
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