Y-box binding protein YB-1 (also known as CCAAT-binding transcription factor, enhancer factor I subunit A and DNA-binding protein B) belongs to a family of multifunctional proteins which regulate both transcription and translation. Y-box proteins interact with a wide variety of nucleic acid structures to act as transcription factors and mRNA masking proteins. The modular structure of Y-box proteins includes a highly conserved N-terminal cold-shock domain (CSD, equivalent to the bacterial cold-shock proteins) and four basic C-terminal domains containing Arginine clusters and aromatic residues. YB-1 plays a role in cell proliferation as an activator of growth-associated gene expression. YB-1 is also a repressor of the cell death-associated gene FAS. YB-1 may play an important role in controlling cell survival by regulating the expression of cell growth-associated and death-associated genes.
