Transcription factor GATA-5 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''GATA5''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
Function
The protein encoded by this gene is a transcription factor that contains two GATA-type zinc fingers. The encoded protein is known to bind to hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha (HNF-1alpha), and this interaction is essential for cooperative activation of the intestinal lactase-phlorizin hydrolase promoter. In other organisms, similar proteins may be involved in the establishment of cardiac smooth muscle cell diversity.
Role in development
Gata5 is a transcription factor. Gata5 regulates the proper development of the heart. Early in embryo development, Gata5 helps in making sure that there are enough heart muscle precursor cells produced to differentiate into the final myocardial cells. It also regulates other genes that are crucial to successful heart development. As pregnancy progresses, Gata 5 is involved in the specification of the heart tissue that becomes the ventricles. Problems can arise when Gata5 is overexpressed. This overexpression can lead to
ectopic foci
An ectopic pacemaker, also known as ectopic focus or ectopic foci, is an excitable group of cells that causes a premature heart beat outside the normally functioning SA node of the heart. It is thus a cardiac pacemaker that is ectopia (medicine), ...
. Ectopic foci are also known as ectopic pacemakers. They are bundles of cells that can cause cardiac pacing that are located in places in the heart where they're not supposed to be. These cells can become excited before the heart is supposed to be excited. This causes the heart to beat and thus contract before it should. Oftentimes, this is not a big deal and the heart naturally reverts to its normal pacing. However, if it's caused by problems with development in the heart – if Gata5 did not express properly in the embryo- then this can lead to constant ectopic foci problems. These problems include tachycardia (the heart beating too fast),
bradycardia
Bradycardia (also sinus bradycardia) is a slow resting heart rate, commonly under 60 beats per minute (BPM) as determined by an electrocardiogram. It is considered to be a normal heart rate during sleep, in young and healthy or elderly adults, a ...
(the heart beating too slow), or ventricular fibrillation
which is a serious condition where the ventricles of the heart aren't pumping consistently and can't get blood out to the body.
See also
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GATA transcription factor
GATA transcription factors are a family of transcription factors characterized by their ability to bind to the DNA sequence "GATA".
GATA transcription factors have been correlated to their broader influence on stem cell development. Findings ho ...
References
Further reading
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External links
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Transcription factors
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