What is the Origin of THRA Gene?

The name is an acronym for Thyroid Hormone Receptor Alpha. The gene was identified and characterized in the 1980s as part of the broader effort to map the human genome and understand the molecular basis of endocrine signaling. The nomenclature follows the standard convention for nuclear receptor genes.

What is the Mechanism of THRA Gene?

The THRA gene product, the TRα protein, functions as a ligand-activated transcription factor. In the absence of thyroid hormone, TRα typically binds to DNA response elements as a dimer with a retinoid X receptor (RXR) and recruits corepressor proteins to silence gene transcription. Upon binding of the active hormone T3, TRα undergoes a conformational change, releases the corepressors, and recruits coactivator proteins to initiate the transcription of thyroid-responsive genes. This mechanism controls the cellular response to the hormone.

THRA Gene ∞ Area

THRA Gene

Meaning

The gene encoding the thyroid hormone receptor alpha (TRα) protein, one of the two main nuclear receptors for thyroid hormones, T3 and T4. The TRα receptor is widely expressed in tissues and plays a particularly critical role in regulating heart rate, body temperature, metabolism, and development, especially in the central nervous system. Mutations in the THRA gene are associated with a syndrome of thyroid hormone resistance, typically presenting with features of hypothyroidism in tissues where TRα is predominant. This gene is fundamental to the action of thyroid hormones at the cellular level.