Hunting down nucleic acid binding factors in the cardiovascular system

Transcription regulation of genes active in the cardiovascular system is a complex process, involving DNA and RNA binding proteins. Nucleic acid binding proteins bind to the regulatory DNA and interact with other proteins, including RNA polymerase to initiate and control the level of transcription. The RNA binding proteins have a function in spliceosome formation and in stabilising mRNA. In this review the currently available molecular approaches to analyse regulatory DNA in relation to DNA binding proteins are discussed. Similar techniques that have been developed for RNA binding protein studies are included. In addition to an explanation of the various methods, examples are provided from DNA-protein interactions on genes active in the cardiovascular system, together with strategies for identification and characterisation of new nucleic acid binding proteins active in cardiac or vascular cell types.