Mediator complex subunit 8 (MED8)

Mediator complex subunit 8 (MED8) is a protein component of the Mediator complex, a multi-subunit coactivator required for regulated transcription of nearly all RNA polymerase II-dependent genes. The Mediator complex acts as a molecular bridge, transmitting signals from sequence-specific transcriptional activators and repressors to RNA polymerase II and general transcription factors, facilitating assembly of the transcriptional preinitiation complex. MED8 is thought to participate in protein-protein interactions, serving as a structural hub; it can harbor domains with intrinsic disorder, important for engaging multiple partners. In plants, MED8 suppresses oxidative stress- and phytohormone-induced gene expression and interacts directly with transcriptional regulators involved in defense signaling and microRNA biogenesis. MED8 may also play a role in the recruitment of target proteins for ubiquitination and degradation, but this function is less well characterized in humans. While critical for basic gene expression, MED8 is not a typical "druggable" target as defined in pharmacology or clinical medicine.

Other names

Mediator of RNA polymerase II transcription subunit 8ARC32Activator-recruited cofactor 32 kDa componentMGC17544MGC19641