Transcriptional regulation of genes is vital to cell success making it an important aspect of research. Transcriptional regulation can occur in many ways; transcription factors bind to the promoter region and block transcription, disrupt an activator protein, or interact with histones to lead to higher order chromatin. Plant HomeoDomain can recognize and bind to different methylation states of histone tails. PHD proteins use other functional regions to carry out functions. Two associated domains having DNA-binding capacity were characterized in this study; the ARID domains of JARID1A and JARID1C and the DDT domains of BAZ1A, BAZ1B and BAZ2A. These genes are important because of their roles in various diseases such as cancer. The consensus sequences for BAZ1A-DDT is GGACGGRnnGG, GnGAGRGCRnnGGnG, RAGGGGGRnG and CRYCGGT. Consensus sequences for BAZ1B-DDT were CGnCCAnCTTnTGGG and YGCCCCTCCCCnR. Consensus sequences for BAZ2A-DDT were TACnnAGCnY and CnnCCRGCnRTGnYY. Consensus sequence for JARID1A-ARID was GnYnGCGYRCYnCnG. Consensus sequences for JARID1C-ARID was RGGRGCCRGGY. / by Emmanuel MacDonald. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Transcriptional regulation by the family of SNAG (Snail/Gfi-1) zinc fingers has been shown to play a role in various developmental states and diseases. These transcriptional repressors have function in both DNA- and protein-binding, allowing for multiple interactions by a single family member. This work aims to characterize the SNAG members Slug, Smuc, Snail, Scratch, Gfi-1, Gfi-1B, and IA-1 in terms of both DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. The specific DNA sequences to which the zinc finger regions bind were determined for each member, and a general consensus of TGCACCTGTCCGA, was developed for four of the members. Via these studies, we also reveal thebinding affinities of E-box (CANNTG) sequences to the members, since this core is found for multiple members' binding sites. Additionally, protein-protein interactions of SNAG members to other biological molecules were investigated. The Slug domain and Scratch domain have unknown function, yet through yeast two-hybrid screening, we were able to determine protein interaction partners for them as well as for other full length SNAG members. These protein-interacting partners have suggested function as corepressors during transcriptional repression. The comprehensive information determined from these studies allow for a better understanding of the functional relationship between SNAG-ZFPs and other genes. The collected data not only creates a new profile for each member investigated, but it also allows for further studies to be initiated from the results. / by Cindy Chiang. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2012. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Transcriptional regulation is an important area of research due to the fact that it leads to gene expression. Transcription factors associated with the regulation can either be activators or repressors of target genes, acting directly or with the aid of other factors. A majority of transcriptional repressors are zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) which bind to specific DNA sequences. The Snail/Gfi (SNAG) domain family, with members such as Slug, Smuc, Snail, and Scratch, are transcriptional repressors shown to play a role in various diseases such as cancer. The SNAG transcription factors contain a conserved SNAG repression domain and DNA binding domain zinc fingers. The specific DNA sequences to which each SNAG-ZFP binds, as well as a general consensus -TGCACCTGTCCGA, have been determined. Also, putative protein-protein interactions in which the Slug domain participates has been identified via binding assays. All these results contribute to better understanding of SNAG-ZFP functions. / by Cindy Chung-Yue Chiang. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

There are approximately 20,000 genes in the human genome. Around 2% of these genes code for transcriptional repressors known as KRAB-ZFPs. It is already known that Zinc-Finger Proteins contain two main functional domains at either end of the polypeptide. In today's database, you will find a KRAB (Kruppell-associated Box) domain at one end and a tandem array of Zinc-finger repeats at the other end. The carboxyl terminal tandem Zinc-finger repeats function as sequence-specific DNA-binding domains. The amino terminal KRAB domain serves as a repressor domain, which will recruit a co-repressor termed KAP-1 (KRAB Associated Protein-1). Located in between these two domains is a region of uncharacterized DNA referred to as the "Linker Region". This thesis will explore the DNA-binding domains of 6 known KRAB-ZFPs, as well as utilize the linker regions to derive an evolutionary history for this superfamily. / by Alain Chamoun. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The zinc finger associated domain (ZAD) family of transcription factors from Drosophila melanogaster is not well described in the literature, in part because it is very difficult to study by traditional mutagenesis screens. Bioinformatic studies indicate this is due to overlapping functions remaining after a recent evolutionary divergence. I set out to use in vitro-binding techniques to identify the characteristics of the ZAD family and test this theory. I have constructed glutathione S-transferase (GST)-ZAD domain chimeric proteins for use in pull down protein binding assays,and GST-Zinc finger (ZnF) array domain chimera for electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA). Protein binding assays indicated two putative conserved interactors, similar to the analogous KRAB system in mammals. ... Competitive bindings were carried out to show a specificity of binding conferred by the identified conserved positions. While the consensus binding sites show relatively few similarities, the predicted target genes identified by the consensus binding sites show significant overlap. The nature of this overlap conforms to the known characteristics of the ZAD family but points to a more positive selection to maintain conservation of function. / by Joseph Krystel. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Longitudinals lacking gene (LOLA) is a transcription factor that is involved in a variety of axon guidance decisions in Drosophila melanogaster nervous system. Besides having a role as an epigenetic silencer and in the programmed cell death in Drosophila's ovary, this gene is also an example of complex transcription unit. LOLA is a transcription repressor and can generate 17 DNA - binding isoforms, through alternative splicing, each containing distinct zinc-finger proteins. This unique DNAbinding binding sequence to which LOLA-ZFP binds has been determined for four of the lola isoforms F, J, P and K. Also, bioinformatics' tool approach has been taken to identify the target genes that are regulated by these four LOLA splice variants. Future work will be done for the five other LOLA isoforms to categorize their putative DNA-binding sequences and subsequently their protein interactions. / by Bazila Qureshi. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The zinc finger associated domain (ZAD) containing family of transcription factors is not well described in the literature, in part because it is very difficult to study by mutagenesis. We used in vitro-binding techniques to identify characteristics of the ZAD family, by constructing glutathione Stransferase (GST)-ZAD domain chimeric proteins for use in protein binding assays, and GST-Zinc finger array domain chimera for binding site selections. Protein binding assays indicated a possible shared cofactor, as seen in the analogous KRAB system in mammals. DNA binding assays have provided a consensus binding sequence for five of the ZAD proteins, consistent with previously reported work on ZAD and unpublished work on mammalian transcription factors. Research is ongoing with an additional ~50 ZAD proteins to more fully map the binding characters of ZAD proteins. / by Joseph Krystel. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.