The NF-Y/p53 liaison: Well beyond repression

NF-Y is a sequence-specific transcription factor – TF – targeting the common CCAAT promoter element. p53 is a master TF controlling the response to stress signals endangering genome integrity, often mutated in human cancers. The NF-Y/p53 – and p63, p73 – interaction results in transcriptional repression of a subset of genes within the vast NF-Y regulome under DNA-damage conditions. Recent data shows that NF-Y is also involved in pro-apoptotic activities, either directly, by mediating p53 transcriptional activation, or indirectly, by being targeted by a non coding RNA, PANDA. The picture is subverted in cells carrying Gain-of-function mutant p53, through interactions with TopBP1, a protein also involved in DNA repair and replication. In summary, the connection between p53 and NF-Y is crucial in determining cell survival or death.