Some examples of key transcription factors expressed in the heart
| Factor | Gene family | DNA binding site | Expression pattern | Examples of gene regulated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| α-MHC, cardiac α myosin heavy chain; ANF, atrial natriuretic factor; bHLH, basic helix-loop-helix; CK-M, muscle creatine kinase; HIF-1, hypoxia inducible factor-1; MEF-2, myocyte enhancer factor-2; MLC2v, ventricular myosin light chain 2; SM22, smooth muscle 22; SRF, serum response factor; TnIc, cardiac troponin I; TnC, troponin C. | ||||
| MEF-2 A, B, C, D4 | MADS box family | CTA(A/T)4TAG | Widely expressed | TnIc CK-M |
| SRF5 | MADS box family | CC(A/T)6GG (“AcrG box”) | Widely expressed | α-cardiac actin, SM22, c-fos |
| Myocardin6 | SAP domain family | Does not bind directly to DNA, but binds to SRF as co-factor | Heart | SM 22, ANF |
| GATA-4, 5, 67 | GATA family | A/TGATAA/g | Myocardium, endoderm | α-MHC, cardiac TnC, TnIc |
| Nkx-2.5 8 | Homeobox | TNNAGTG (high affinity) C(A/T)TTAATTN (low affinity) | Cardiac mesoderm | MLC2v, ANF, cardiac α-actin |
| HIF-19 | bHLH | α/β heterodimers bind CANNTG | Ubiquitous; HIF-1β constitutively expressed, changes in levels of active HIF-1α induced by hypoxia | MLC2v, ANF, cardiac α-actin |