本文综述了关于AP-2基因家族的最近期研究进展.AP-2是一个分子量为52-kDa的转录因子,有其独特的蛋白质分子结构,其N端是富含脯氨酸和谷氨酸的转录激活域,C端的helix-span-helix结构可以形成二聚体并与特异的DNA序列结合.AP-2家族都能以同源或异源二聚体的方式与一段保守序列5'-GCCNNNGGC-3'结合.AP-2α是最早被鉴定和研究的家族成员,很多研究表明AP-2α是一个抑癌基因.

This mini-review summarizes most recent research progress on the transcription factor AP-2 gene family. AP-2 was first identified as a 52-kDa protein as a transcription factor and forms a unique modular structure consisting of an amino-terminal proline- and glutamine-rich transactivational domain and a complex helix-span-helix motif necessary and sufficient for dimerization and site-specific DNA binding. All AP-2 proteins can bind to a typical consensus sequence, 5'-GCCNNNGGC-3' as homo- or heterodimers. AP-2α is the first one in the family to be identified and best characterized. A number of lines of investigation have led to the conclusion that AP-2α is a tumor suppressor gene.