Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Post-Translational Modification And Degradation Mechanisms Of The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, Yujie Yang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a transcription factor first discovered to be activated by exogenous ligands, such as dioxins, and helps promote downstream gene (e.g. CYP1A1) transcription to metabolize the toxicants. With the reports of various AHR targets genes, the expression levels and activities of AHR have been implicated in many physiological and pathological situations. Understanding how AHR protein level is regulated would provide more information to target AHR. AHR stays in the cytosol in the absence of ligand in a complex with HSP90, p23 and XAP2. After ligand activation, AHR translocates into the nucleus, fulfilling its transactivation function …