Regulatory Proteins

Definition

Regulatory proteins are proteins involved in the expression of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. They can either enhance or inhibit the binding of RNA polymerase to DNA, controlling the rate of transcription.

Related terms

Activators:

These are types of regulatory proteins that increase the transcription of specific genes by binding to enhancers or promoter-proximal elements.

Repressors:

These are types of regulatory proteins that decrease the transcription of specific genes by blocking RNA polymerase's access to promoters.

Inducers: These substances bind to repressors and alter their shape so they cannot bind to an operator, allowing for increased gene expression.