---
authors: Marcio Luis Acencio (1), George Georghiou (2), Sandra Orchard (2), Liv Thommensen (1), Martin Kuiper (1) and Astrid Lægreid (1). (1) Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; (2) European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
id: "GO_REF:0000113"
year: 2018
layout: goref
---

## Gene Ontology annotation of human sequence-specific DNA binding transcription factors (DbTFs) based on the TFClass database

The TFClass (http://tfclass.bioinf.med.uni-goettingen.de/index.jsf) database provides a comprehensive classification of mammalian DNA binding transcription factors (DbTFs) based on their DNA binding domains (DBDs) (PMID:29087517). TFClass classifies mammalian DbTFs by a five-level classification in which the four highest levels represent groups defined by structural and sequence similarities (superclass, class, family, subfamily, and genera) (more details at http://www.edgar-wingender.de/TFClass_schema.html). This classification is based on the combination of background knowledge of the molecular structural features of DBDs (PMID:9340487, PMID:23427989) and phylogenetic trees constructed via multiple sequence alignment with hierarchical clustering of manually validated DBDs and/or full-length protein sequences retrieved from UniProt (PMID:23427989, PMID:23180794, PMID:23427989). 

The NTNU curation team has evaluated each family and assigned a molecular function annotation, GO:0000981 (DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific), and a cellular component annotation GO:0000790 (nuclear chromatin), as appropriate. The superclass/class/family or subfamily ID is specified in the "With/From" field. The annotations are supported by the evidence code ECO:0005556 (multiple sequence alignment evidence used in manual assertion).