Kornberg's Contribution to the Future of Stem Cell Research

Embryonic Stem cells are pluripotent cells that can differentiate into many cell types.  The therapeutic use of stem cells is so vast, that its future affects all areas of modern medicine.  Imagine if we could rebuild any tissue of the body from scratch, we could possibly live forever.  What makes stem cells so versatile?  Well it is believed that a unique network of transcription factors and signaling molecules is essential for maintaining stem cells versatility.  Kornberg’s work specifically describes what is needed in order for the therapeutic promise of stem cells to be realized.  That is, we must understand transcriptional activation and initiation of genes in stem cells.  Obviously more needs to be done, but Kornberg has paved a pathway by providing us with a very detailed mechanism on why transcriptional activation could occur when it does. 

            Recently, researchers have shown the transcription control of the Pou5f1 gene, which makes a protein that is required for stem cells to remain pluripotent.  If this gene product is lost, then the stem cell differentiates (Zhang, et al, 2006).  In order to understand why this gene turns off, we need to understand the factors that bind to the promoter and enhancer of the gene and how they interact with the now well know RNA polymerase.