THEORETICAL MECHANISMS FOR SYNTHESIS OF CARCINOGEN-INDUCED EMBRYONIC PROTEINS .22. KEY THEORY - A MECHANISM FOR ENHANCER FUNCTION

Abstract

In summary the Key Theory states that certain planar molecules can act in latching together enhancer elements with promoter elements to create hypersensitive recognition for super-efficient initiation sites of RNA polymerase activity of a specific structural gene. Specificities of these key molecules are required because of transacting factor binding and minor groove steric relationships and/or alkylations that in turn forms relatively permanent ``on{''} modes of gene activity. This presents an explanation for the mechanism of a great variety of biologically active molecules such as steroid hormones and carcinogens.