This entry represents the GATA family of transcription factors, such as GATA-4, GATA-5 and GATA-6. These transcription factors regulate critical steps of cellular differentiation during vertebrate development. GATA-4, 5 and 6 each contain two GATA-type zinc fingers, and are known to activate numerous enterocytic genes [, ]. Loss of GATA-4 and GATA-5 has been reported in human gastric and colon cancer []. GATA-4 binds to the consensus sequence 5'-AGATAG-3', and acts as a transcriptional activator of Anf in cooperation with Nkx2-5 []. It interacts with the homeobox domain of Nkx2-5 through its C-terminal zinc finger. It also interacts with Jarid2 which represses its ability to activate transcription of Anf. Defects in GATA-4 are the cause of atrial septal defect type 2 (ASD2) (OMIM:607941)[]. ASD2 is a congenital heart malformation characterised by incomplete closure of the wall between the atria resulting in blood flow from the left to the right atria.GATA-5 binds to the functionally important Cef-1 nuclear protein binding site in the cardiac-specific slow/cardiac troponin C transcriptional enhancer []. It may play an important role in the transcriptional program(s) that underlies smooth muscle cell diversity.
