biology

TEAD2

TEAD2 is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand TEAD2 rather than just read about it. In short: TEAD2 (ETF, ETEF-1, TEF-4), together with TEAD1, defines a novel family of transcription factors, the TEAD family, highly conserved through evolution. TEAD proteins were notably found in Drosophila (Scalloped), C. elegans (egl -44), S. cerevisiae and A. nidulans.

Key takeaways

TEAD2 belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect TEAD2 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of TEAD2 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

TEAD2 (ETF, ETEF-1, TEF-4), together with TEAD1, defines a novel family of transcription factors, the TEAD family, highly conserved through evolution. TEAD proteins were notably found in Drosophila (Scalloped), C. elegans (egl -44), S. cerevisiae and A. nidulans. TEAD2 has been less studied than TEAD1 but a few studies revealed its role during development.

Function TEAD2 is a member of the mammalian TEAD transcription factor family (initially named the transcriptional enhancer factor (TEF) family), which contain the TEA/ATTS DNA-binding domain. Members of the family in mammals are TEAD1, TEAD2, TEAD3, TEAD4.

Tissue distribution TEAD2 is selectively expressed in a subset of embryonic tissues including the cerebellum, testis, and distal portions of the forelimb and hindlimb buds, as well as the tail bud, but it is essentially absent from adult tissues. TEAD2 has also been shown to be expressed very early during development, i.e. from the 2-cell stage.

TEAD orthologs TEAD proteins are found in many organisms under different names, assuming different functions. For example, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae TEC-1 regulates the transposable element TY1 and is involved in pseudohyphale growth (the elongated shape that yeasts take when grown in nutrient-poor conditions). In Aspergillus nidulans, the TEA domain protein ABAA regulates the differentiation of conidiophores. In drosophila the transcription factor Scalloped is involved in the development of the wing disc, survival and cell growth. Finally in Xenopus, it has been demonstrated that the homolog of TEAD regulates muscle differentiation.

Function Regulation of mouse neural development Neuron proliferation Regulation of proliferation Regulation of apoptosis

Post transcriptional modifications TEAD1 can be palmitoylated on a conserved cysteine at the C-term of the protein. This post-translational modification is critical for proper folding of TEAD proteins and their stability. Based on bioinformatics evidence TEAD2 can be ubiquitinylated at Lys75 and several phosphorylation sites exist in the protein.

Cofactors TEAD transcription factors have to associate with cofactors to be able to induce the transcription of target genes. Concerning TEAD2 very few studies have shown specific cofactors. But due to the high homology between the TEAD family members its believed that TEAD proteins may share cofactors. Here are presented the cofactor that interact with TEAD2.

TEAD2 interacts with all members of the SRC family of steroid receptor coactivators. It has been shown in HeLa cells that TEAD2 and SRC induce gene expression. SRF (Serum response factor) and TEAD2 interact through their DNA binding domain, respectively the MADS domain and the TEA domain. In vitro studies demonstrated that this interaction leads to the activation of the skeletal muscle α-actin promoter. TEAD proteins and MEF2 (myocyte enhancer factor 2) interact physically. The binding of MEF2 on the DNA induces and potentiates TEAD2 recruitment at MCAT sequences that are adjacent to MEF2 binding sites. The four Vestigial-like (VGLL) proteins are able to interact with all TEADs. The precise function of TEAD and VGLL interaction is still poorly understood. It has been shown that TEAD/VGLL1 complexes promote anchorage-independent cell proliferation in prostate cancer cell lines suggesting a role in cancer progression. The interaction between YAP (Yes Associated Protein 65), TAZ, a transcriptional coactivator paralog to YAP, and all TEAD proteins was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. In both cases the interaction of the proteins leads to increased TEAD transcriptional activity. YAP/TAZ are effectors of the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway that restricts organ growth by keeping in check cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis in mammals and also in Drosophila.

Clinical significance Recent animal models indicating a possible association of TEAD2 with anencephaly.

Notes

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with TEAD2

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what TEAD2 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to TEAD2 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about TEAD2 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of TEAD2

In research: TEAD2 appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses TEAD2 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: TEAD2 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 19, Transcription factors, Wikipedia articles with corresponding academic peer reviewed articles, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for TEAD2 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study TEAD2 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what TEAD2 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain TEAD2 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is TEAD2 in simple terms?

Why does TEAD2 matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study TEAD2?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on TEAD2.