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Transcriptional Repression

Meaning

Transcriptional repression is a fundamental molecular mechanism in gene regulation where the rate of gene transcription, the process of copying genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA (mRNA), is actively reduced or entirely blocked. This is achieved by specific regulatory proteins, known as repressors, binding to DNA sequences or interacting with the transcriptional machinery. In hormonal signaling, this process is essential for controlling the cellular response to steroid hormones and maintaining tissue-specific gene expression.