8/14/2019 "Interferons and Gene Expression" by Michael L. Riordan and Paula M. Pitha-Rowe in "Interferons: Their Impact in Biology and Medicine," Edited by Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou

1/5

nterferons nd gene expressionMichael L Riordan and PaulaM. Pitha Rowe

2 I. INTRODUCTIONAlthough much is knownabout thecontrol of gene expression in prokar-yotes, we are only just beginning to acquire an understanding of themechanisms of gene regulation in eukaryotes. The extrem ely complexinterplay of events at the genomic, nuclear, and cytoplasmic levels ineukaryotes has made the ta sk of studying single genes or families of genesvery difficult. Thl s it isthat many studies of eukaryotic gene regulat ionhavefocused on genes that canbe induced with exogenous agents , a l lowing theexper imenter to regulate expression and more precisely exam ine eventsbefore, during, and after t ranscr ip t ion . Withthe adventof molecular c loningtechniques and procedures for inducing genes of interest into hetero logou scells, a new hor izon has opened up for the study of eukaryotic generegulation.Of the relatively small but growing number of inducib le genes to be

investigated thus far for a review, see Kessel and Khoury 1983), theinterferon genes have perhaps been studied most intensively. Many featuresofthe interferonsystem make it attractive as a m eans of studying regulat ionof gene expression. Biological assays permit the detect ion of vanishing lysmall quantitie s of interferon protein, and these assays can differentiatein terferons on the basis of speciesspecificity. Inter ferons are expressed bymanydifferent cell types within an organism, and arefound in many.differenteukaryotic species. They constitutea family of re la ted yet d ifferent geneswh ich, depending on the inducer , celt type, or in terferon subtype, may exhibi tcoordinate expression or appear to he regulated by different mechanisms.Because of the extensive homologywithin this family, it may bepossible toattribute differences in the inducibili ty or express ion of individual genes tospecific nucleotidesequences or st ructural properties of the DNAwithin , orflanking, those genes. A final, very important feature is that interferongenes

8/14/2019 "Interferons and Gene Expression" by Michael L. Riordan and Paula M. Pitha-Rowe in "Interferons: Their Impact in Biology and Medicine," Edited by Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou

2/5

INTERFERONSTheirImpactn iologyndMedicine

F.DITF.D RY

JOY ETAYLOR PAPADTMITRTOUImpe ria l anc er Research Fund

8/14/2019 "Interferons and Gene Expression" by Michael L. Riordan and Paula M. Pitha-Rowe in "Interferons: Their Impact in Biology and Medicine," Edited by Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou

3/5

8/14/2019 "Interferons and Gene Expression" by Michael L. Riordan and Paula M. Pitha-Rowe in "Interferons: Their Impact in Biology and Medicine," Edited by Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou

4/5

8/14/2019 "Interferons and Gene Expression" by Michael L. Riordan and Paula M. Pitha-Rowe in "Interferons: Their Impact in Biology and Medicine," Edited by Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou

5/5