The protein encoded by this gene is a member ofThe E2F family of transcription factors.The E2F family plays a crucial role inThe control of cell cycle and action of tumor suppressor proteins and is also a target ofThe transforming proteins of small DNA tumor viruses.The E2F proteins contain several evolutionally conserved domains found in most members ofThe family. These domains include a DNA binding domain, a dimerization domain which determines interaction withThe differentiation regulated transcription factor proteins (DP), a transactivation domain enriched in acidic amino acids, and a tumor suppressor protein association domain which is embedded withinThe transactivation domain. This protein and another 2 members, E2F2 and E2F3, have an additional cyclin binding domain. This protein binds preferentially to retinoblastoma protein pRB in a cell-cycle dependent manner.
