Editing Transcription factor (section)

=== Synthesis ===

Transcription factors (like all proteins) are transcribed from a gene on a chromosome into RNA, and then the RNA is translated into protein.  Any of these steps can be regulated to affect the production (and thus activity) of a transcription factor. An implication of this is that transcription factors can regulate themselves. For example, in a [[negative feedback]] loop, the transcription factor acts as its own repressor:  If the transcription factor protein binds the DNA of its own gene, it down-regulates the production of more of itself.  This is one mechanism to maintain low levels of a transcription factor in a cell.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Pan G, Li J, Zhou Y, Zheng H, Pei D |date=August 2006 |title=A negative feedback loop of transcription factors that controls stem cell pluripotency and self-renewal |journal=FASEB Journal |volume=20 |issue=10 |pages=1730–2 |doi=10.1096/fj.05-5543fje |pmid=16790525 |s2cid=44783683 |doi-access=free}}</ref>