Transcription factors have been traditionally studied at the level of transcription, neglecting a potential impact on protein translation. A new study published by Lorent et al (2019) describes a mechanism by which fluctuations in mRNA abundance are counteracted during translation upon estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) depletion. This phenomenon, termed translational offsetting, is prevalent and programmed to maintain essential proteins at constant levels.
© 2019 The Authors.