The role of the TEF transcription factors in cardiogenesis and other developmental processes

The development of complex tissues and organs during embryogenesis is accompanied by precise spatial and temporal gene regulation, which usually takes place at the level of transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II. Differential patterns of gene expression are controlled by the binding of combinatorial arrays of transcription factors to their cognate regulatory elements in the promoters and enhancers of target genes. Generally, these transcription factors belong to families that have arisen through gene duplication. Members of a given family can be identified by the fact that they possess a common DNA-binding domain. lit this review, we present the current data arguing for the possible involvement of the TEF family of transcription factors, which contain the TEA DNA-binding domain, in cardiogenesis and in other developmental processes. (C) 1997, Elsevier Science Inc.