Yin Yang 1 (YY1) (YY1)

Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a multifunctional, ubiquitously expressed zinc-finger transcription factor that plays a critical role in the regulation of gene expression. It is uniquely characterized by its dual ability to act as either a transcriptional activator or repressor depending on the cellular context, a property that inspired its name based on the Chinese philosophical concept of Yin and Yang. YY1 is involved in various essential cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, DNA repair, apoptosis, and embryonic development. In the context of disease, YY1 is frequently dysregulated and is implicated in the progression of many cancers, where it often promotes the expression of oncogenes and suppresses tumor-suppressor genes. As a result, YY1 has emerged as a potential therapeutic target in oncology, with research focusing on modulating its levels or its ability to organize chromatin architecture. Because of its fundamental role in many tissues, therapeutic strategies must carefully balance the inhibition of its pathological activities while sparing its essential physiological functions.

Other names

Transcriptional repressor protein YY1DELTANF-E1UCRBPYIN-YANG-1YY1 transcription factorGADEVS

Modulation of gene expression by binding to specific DNA sequences to recruit histone modifiers (HDACs/HATs) or by organizing chromatin architecture through enhancer-promoter loops.