Michael J. Kern, Eric A. Argao, and S. Steven Potter are at the Division of Basic Science Research, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039 USA.; the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0524, USA.
Trends Cardiovasc Med. 1995 Mar-Apr;5(2):47-54. doi: 10.1016/1050-1738(94)00033-6.
Genes encoding transcription factors are fundamental to developmental processes because their DNA-binding proteins can control expression of a multitude of genes. Therefore, activation of a single transcription factor gene can act as a genetic switch that controls the developmental destinies of groups of cells. Results of expression studies and mutational analyses in mice and Drosophila suggest an essential role in heart development for the homeobox class of transcription factor genes. Understanding the genetic circuitry of cardiogenesis will facilitate the identification of individuals with inherited cardiac diseases, and the possible prevention of these diseases with drug therapy or lifestyle modification. It may also allow for genetic counseling of affected individuals and family members and enable gene therapy aimed at correcting these defects.
编码转录因子的基因对发育过程至关重要，因为它们的 DNA 结合蛋白可以控制众多基因的表达。因此，单个转录因子基因的激活可以作为一种遗传开关，控制一群细胞的发育命运。在小鼠和果蝇中的表达研究和突变分析结果表明，同源盒类转录因子基因在心脏发育中起着重要作用。了解心脏发生的遗传电路将有助于鉴定患有遗传性心脏病的个体，并可能通过药物治疗或生活方式改变来预防这些疾病。它还可以为受影响的个体和家庭成员提供遗传咨询，并使基因治疗能够纠正这些缺陷。
