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HEREDITAS ›› 2010, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (5): 431-436.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1005.2010.00431

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Review for the regulatory functions of KRAB zinc finger proteins in embryonic development and tumorgenesis of higher vertebrates

MA Zhan-Fu1, 2, YANG Dong2, HE Fu-Chu2, JIANG Ying2   

  1. 1. College of Life Science and Bio-engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100022, China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 102206, China
  • Received:2009-09-27 Revised:2009-12-07 Online:2010-05-20 Published:2010-05-15
  • Contact: JIANG Ying E-mail:jiangying304@hotmail.com

Abstract:

KRAB-containing zinc-finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs) first arose in the tetrapod vertebrates, and evolved quickly. Till Homo sapiens, they have become the largest family of transcription factors. Despite the molecular mechanism of transcription regulation by KRAB-ZFPs has been clarified in some degree, the higher-vertebrate-specific biological functions of the KRAB-ZFP family are still largely unknown. This review focused on the important regulatory functions of the KRAB-ZFP in embryonic development and tumorgenesis, which will benefit to the comprehensive understanding of biological roles of KRAB-ZFP in different physiological and pathological states. All of the systematic information will facilitate the further theoretical and applied studies of KRAB-ZFPs.

Key words: KRAB, embryonic development, tumor, transcription regulation