Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins: transcriptional activators of lipid synthesis

Abstract

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) are a family of transcription factors that regulate lipid homoeostasis. Three SREBP iso-forms control the expression of more than 30 genes required for the biosynthesis of cholesterol, fatty acids, triacylglycerols and phospholipids. The unique regulation and activation properties of each SREBP isoform facilitates the co-ordinate regulation of all essential lipid building blocks required for cell membranes as well as for very-low-density lipoprotein formation in hepatocytes.